This year, our Black Hawks spent the rescEU season deployed across several countries – Slovakia, France, Serbia and the Czech Republic. Different fires, different conditions, the same mission – providing fast and effective support in challenging conditions.
The 2026 rescEU firefighting season began for our Black Hawks with readiness for deployment in the Czech Republic. As early as June, our helicopters took part in a joint training exercise at the Brno Reservoir, aimed at testing the coordination between aerial and ground-based firefighting units. The exercise took place just one day after the start of aerial firefighting standby operations for the Czech Republic.
Then came the first major call from abroad.
From Europe, for Europe.
In July, our Black Hawks deployed to France, where they joined the European response to large-scale wildfires. The deployment was carried out within the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and the rescEU capacity.
For the crews, this meant a new operating environment, a different coordination system and long hours over active fire areas. For the helicopters, however, the mission remained the same – collect water, fly over the fire and release it precisely where it could make the greatest difference.
Czech and Slovak Black Hawks operated in France within the same European framework and, during the second phase of the French deployment, flew directly alongside each other.
And then it was time to move on.
Black Hawk on home ground in the Czech Republic.
Following the French mission, one of our Black Hawks also took part in an actual firefighting operation in the Czech Republic.
On 4 August, a large fire broke out at the Sono landfill in Čížkovice, in the Litoměřice region. Strong winds complicated the firefighting operation, with up to 24 fire units deployed at the scene. A Black Hawk also joined the effort to contain the fire.
Three Black Hawks, one fireground.
In August, it was Serbia. HELI COMPANY deployed three UH-60s to the Deliblatska Peščara area. Together with a Romanian Black Hawk, they formed an international group of four helicopters supporting the European response.
Over 11 days, our three helicopters spent more than 90 hours in the air, carried out hundreds of drops and delivered almost one million litres of water to the firegrounds.
These are numbers that look impressive on paper. Inside the cockpit, however, every drop meant another flight over the fire, another water refill and another return to an area where the fire was still moving.
After the international missions, the Black Hawks returned home. During the next phase of the firefighting season, our UH-60s were also deployed in Slovakia – from the Súľov Rocks and the High Tatras to the Záhorie region and Trstín. In the mountains and lowlands alike, in rugged terrain and in areas where ground-based firefighting equipment can have very limited access.
Further domestic operations followed in Slovak Paradise and around Kežmarok. Each brought different terrain, different conditions and a different situation on the ground. The Black Hawk’s mission, however, remained the same – deliver large quantities of water as quickly as possible to where they were needed most.
When borders stop mattering.
That is precisely where the value of rescEU becomes clear. When one country needs additional firefighting aircraft or helicopters, support can come from neighbouring countries – and sometimes from the other side of Europe.
This year, Slovak, Czech and Romanian capabilities came together at the same fireground in Serbia. Czech and Slovak Black Hawks also operated in France. Meanwhile, one of our helicopters took part in a firefighting operation directly in the Czech Republic.
Across the entire 2026 season, our UH-60 helicopters logged more than:
- 400 flight hours
- 1,600 water and firefighting-agent drops
- nearly 5 million litres of water delivered
- 82 days of deployment, including 64 abroad
For HELI COMPANY, the 2026 rescEU season was another demonstration that the UH-60 Black Hawk is more than just a helicopter ready to respond. It is a capability that can be deployed wherever it is needed.
A summer that did not end at a single base.
Slovakia. France. Serbia. The Czech Republic.
Four countries, hundreds of hours in the air, hundreds of drops and millions of litres of water delivered. Behind every number, however, are people – crews, firefighters, coordinators and everyone working on the ground and in the air during wildfires.
Our Black Hawks were wherever they were needed this summer.
And that is exactly what they are there for.
