Air Force has been fighting fires for over 200 hours this year

Othe Air Force Black Hawk helicopters were involved this year in 56 firefighting missions for more than 200 hours, and the branch plans to reinforce this device in 2027 with the C-130 aircraft.

These data were announced during a ceremony on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Programme (PRR) in the framework of the acquisition of the UH-60 Black Hawk and AW119 Koala aircraft, which took place with these aircraft exposed at the Air Force Staff's facility in Alfragide, Lisbon.

This year, and to date, the “551- Panthers” fleet has been engaged in 56 firefighting missions, in conjunction with the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, which have resulted in more than 200 flight hours and more than 900 discharges.

Under the PRR – which ends this year – Portugal acquired a total of 13 Black Hawk helicopters, nine dedicated to fighting rural fires and four more, announced by Nuno Melo last year, to support the medical emergency.

This year, the Air Force participated for the first time in the direct combat against fires under the Special Device for Combating Rural Fires (DECIR) with these helicopters, marking a new phase of military support on civilian missions. These aircraft have the advantage of being able to operate in places often inaccessible by firefighters.

At the end of the ceremony, the Minister of National Defense, Nuno Melo, and the Chief of the Air Force Staff, General Sérgio Pereira, said that the expectation is to have on the ground next year also the C-130 planes, already equipped with the two firefighting kits purchased by the Government, an investment of about 16 million euros.

Nuno Melo also pointed out that in 2029 and 2030 the Canadian heavy bombers should be joined.

During the ceremony, the Minister of National Defense stressed that “when resources are scarce, the State is obliged to rationalize means to achieve the best answers” and argued that the Armed Forces, “representing the State, must ensure that if everything fails this State is there because it has means”, referring to the fight against fires.

Nuno Melo also recalled the criticisms made last year of the acquisition of the four Black Hawk helicopters that will devote themselves to the medical emergency, insisting that these equipment will serve this purpose and are suitable for landing in the helicopters intended for effect.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force praised that “Portugal began to hold its own and permanent capacity” in the fight against fires, developed “practically from scratch”, defining it as “a true state project”.

General Sérgio Pereira took the opportunity to warn the need to retain the Air Force military, with several years of training, which result in operational excellence “hardly replaceable”.

Also present at the ceremony, the Secretary of State for Civil Protection, Rui Rocha, said that compared to 2025, there were 5.4% more fires, “and yet, until yesterday, 72.4% less burned area”.