Since Monday morning, two UH-60A Black Hawks of the Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force) have been at the Leopold Figl – General Pabisch Air Base in Langenlebarn near Tulln in Lower Austria. The purpose of the stay is the joint training with the S-70A-42 Black Hawks of the Austrian Armed Forces in the area of disaster relief operations.
The 551 “Panther” squadron
The two Black Hawks currently deployed in Austria come from the 551 “Panther” squadron. This was only re-established in 2023 – 37 years after it was deactivated in 1986.
This was preceded by a resolution of the Council of Ministers, which transferred the resources for fighting fires from the air to the Força Aérea Portuguesa. In 2021, the acquisition of aircraft for firefighting was approved for these tasks, which led to, among other things procurement of nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in the meantime. led to this.
The first four Portuguese Black Hawks are of the UH-60A type, five others are of the UH-60L type. A total of five of the nine aircraft have been delivered to date. Like the S-70A-42 Black Hawks of the Austrian Air Force, the UH-60 Black Hawks of Força Aérea Portuguesa are equipped with the Ace Deck cockpit from Ace Aeronautics in Alabama/USA.
Since the first delivery of the UH-60 Black Hawks, Wing 551 has undergone a rigorous crew training and qualification process to ensure that its capabilities are fully developed by 2026 and that it is then ready to perform the mission for which it was reactivated.
Squadron 551 is based at Air Base No. 8 in Maceda, Ovar, about 25 kilometers south of Porto. The two UH-60A Black Hawks with the identification numbers 29803 and 29804 deployed from there via Salamanca, Zaragoza and Girona in Spain, Istres in France, Genoa and Venice in Italy and Zeltweg to Langenlebarn.
Training with the medium transport helicopter squadron of the air support squadron
In 2002, after 25 years of Black Hawk production, Austria was the first European country to be equipped with the Black Hawk medium-weight multi-role helicopter from US manufacturer Sikorsky. US manufacturer Sikorsky in preference to its European competitors. The first Austrian Black Hawk was delivered in September 2002. A total of nine machines of the S-70A-42 variant are operated by the medium transport helicopter squadron at the airbase in Langenlebarn.
The decision to expand the squadron to a total of twelve aircraft in 2018 and to order twelve new order for twelve new UH-60Ms in June 2024 to replace the to replace the AB-212 in Linz-Hörsching are a vote of confidence in the Sikorsky helicopter.
Training for disaster relief operations
The crews of the two UH-60A Black Hawks of the Força Aérea Portuguesa are carrying out training flights in the Lower Austria region this week, including at the Allentsteig military training area, together with the soldiers of the medium transport helicopter squadron in Langenlebarn.
Next week, the training will continue at higher altitudes, which are challenging for helicopters. They will then head to Zeltweg and from there to the Seetaler Alpe military training area, among other places. The trainees will benefit from the many years of practical experience gained by the Austrian Armed Forces’ Black Hawk pilots during a large number of disaster relief missions.
Information: The photos of the two UH-60A of Força Aérea Portuguesa were kindly provided to Militär Aktuell by Alexander Schlacher.
Here for more news about the Portuguese armed forces.
