An Irish aviation company is set to play a significant role in the future of aerial firefighting across Europe after Dublin-based SkyConnect Leasing signed a long-term agreement with Spain’s Pegasus Aero Group for multiple UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. The aircraft will be used for wildfire suppression, civil protection and emergency response missions across Europe and Latin America, with the first deliveries scheduled from March 2027.
The agreement represents a major milestone for SkyConnect Leasing, a relatively new entrant to the specialist aircraft leasing sector. Established in 2025 as part of the Skyrise Aviation Group, the company has focused its strategy on providing mission-critical aircraft for firefighting and emergency operations. SkyConnect recently acquired twelve former U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawks through a strategic agreement with Czech-based Helicopter Alliance, creating one of Europe’s first dedicated Black Hawk leasing platforms aimed at civil firefighting operators.
Black Hawks for a New Era of Firefighting
The decision by Pegasus to invest in the UH-60 Black Hawk reflects a broader trend in the aerial firefighting industry. Climate change, longer fire seasons, and increasingly severe wildfires have driven demand for more capable helicopters that can deliver larger water loads and sustain operations in difficult environments.
Originally developed by Sikorsky for the U.S. Army, the Black Hawk has become one of the most successful helicopter designs in aviation history. Through the U.S. Army’s Black Hawk Exchange Sales and Transaction (BEST) programme, more than 400 aircraft have entered civilian service worldwide, many finding a second life in firefighting, utility, rescue and disaster response operations.
Modernised civilian UH-60s can operate with large Bambi buckets or integrated tanks capable of delivering more than 4,000 litres of water per drop, placing them among the most effective rotary-wing firefighting platforms available.
Pegasus Expands Its Firefighting Capability
Pegasus Aero Group is already one of Europe’s most experienced aerial emergency service providers. Based in Córdoba, Spain, the company traces its roots back more than six decades and has accumulated over 350,000 flight hours across its operations. Pegasus operates fleets of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters dedicated to firefighting, search and rescue, air ambulance services and aircraft maintenance activities across several countries.
The company says the addition of the Black Hawk fleet will increase its overall inventory to more than 140 aircraft while strengthening its position in the heavy-lift helicopter segment. During the current fire season alone, Pegasus has reportedly deployed over 100 aircraft across Europe dedicated exclusively to wildfire response operations.
Miguel Ángel Tamarit Almagro, Vice President and Head of Business Development at Pegasus Aero Group, described the Black Hawk as “an international benchmark for firefighting and emergency missions,” noting that the aircraft will help the company meet growing customer demand while supporting long-term expansion plans.
An Irish Connection
For Ireland’s aviation sector, the agreement is notable because it places a Dublin-based business at the centre of a rapidly expanding global firefighting market. While Ireland itself has limited demand for large aerial firefighting helicopters, Irish aviation expertise has long extended far beyond the country’s borders, particularly in aircraft leasing.
SkyConnect’s approach mirrors Ireland’s broader strength in aviation finance by applying leasing expertise to a specialist niche. Instead of airlines, its customers are emergency response operators facing growing pressure to address increasingly destructive wildfire seasons.
Patrick Moulay, CEO of SkyConnect Leasing, said the agreement validates the company’s specialist leasing model and demonstrates how dedicated aircraft leasing can help operators quickly expand firefighting capability without the substantial capital costs associated with aircraft ownership.
Europe’s Wildfire Challenge
The timing is significant. Europe has experienced a dramatic increase in wildfire activity in recent years, with 2026 proving particularly severe. Industry data shows firefighting aircraft utilisation reaching record levels as operators across the continent respond to longer and more intense fire seasons.
As demand grows, aircraft such as the UH-60 Black Hawk are increasingly being viewed as essential tools rather than specialised assets. Their ability to combine water-bombing operations with transport, rescue and disaster response missions makes them especially attractive to operators seeking versatile platforms capable of year-round utilisation.
