The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) and the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC) signed, at the International Aeronautics and Space Fair 2025, an agreement for $150,000 million to obtain two Firehawk helicopters, state-of-the-art aircraft designed to extinguish forest fires, transport humanitarian aid, conduct aeromedical evacuations and carry out search and rescue operations throughout the national territory.
"With the FIREHAWKS, Colombia will have the most powerful and certified aerial tool in the world to fight forest fires. We are taking an important step to protect biodiversity. This technology will triple the efficiency to extinguish fires in the country, now it will be faster, these helicopters will be able to operate at night and in extreme conditions: paramos, rainforests, savannas, coasts and in hard-to-reach areas." said Carlos Carrillo, director of the UNGRD.
As part of the agreement, the Colombian Air Force will contribute its technical and administrative resources to accompany the procurement process with the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC) and will be responsible for operating the aircraft exclusively in emergency missions under UNGRD requirements.
"Colombia has been operating Blackhawk for 37 years, which leads us to have expert pilots in command of these helicopters specialized in firefighting. This works for us because of the successful operation of the Firehawk in the country," said General Luis Carlos C贸rdoba, commander of the FAC.
The FIREHAWK is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for firefighting operations. It has a capacity of 1,000 gallons and can be reloaded in less than 60 seconds from water sources 45 cm deep. This leads to a 138% increase in the amount of water dropped per hour of flight over a forest fire.
In addition, its ability to operate at night will lead increasing support to fire departments and other response institutions on the ground, during fire seasons, making their work more effective. Thanks to the constant training and instruction of military pilots with night vision (NVG) and search light operations, these helicopters become a strategic tool to intervene in critical situations and in conditions of low visibility.
These aircraft have autonomy to operate up to 2.5 hours at a time, assisting emergencies at different heights, from sea level to 13,350 feet altitude, without any risk to their performance. It adapts in 60 minutes as an air ambulance, rescue helicopter or tactical transport, depending on the type of emergency.
A fundamental feature of this system is the load capacity of up to 5,283 kilos, key for rescue operations in areas of difficult access or where landing is impossible.
Thanks to their speed, power, water-carrying capacity, performance and safety in extreme conditions, Firehawks have been the number one tool in the world for forest fire suppression for more than 30 years. It is the aircraft used by the fire departments of California, Nevada and Colorado, where fires of large proportions occur.
Through this decision, the National Government, strengthens the resources of the National System for Disaster Risk Management, in the face of emergencies arising from climate variability such as forest fires, it works for a timely, accurate, effective response in the most vulnerable and difficult-to-access territories of the country.
Source: Press - Colombian Aerospace Force and UNGRD
