Recoil News

March 11, 2025

US FAA APPROVES STC FOR RECOIL’S UH-60 BLACK HAWK AERIAL FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM TANK    

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, March. 11, 2025  Recoil Aerospace Inc. (Recoil), designer of the world’s most advanced aerial fire suppression systems (AFSS), proudly announces U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of its Tsunami AFSS tank system for the UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters. 
 
U.S.-based Recoil’s Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR02584AK for the UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopter represents the only carbon fiber system of this design approved for UH-60 operations.  
 
The new STC utilizes Recoil’s field-proven design currently fighting fires globally, and is applicable to all UH-60 type certificate holders as well as the model variants of the UH-60 and S70 variants.
 
With the approval, U.S. firefighting programs can add this key technology upgrade for the current wildfire season.  Tsunami AFSS units are available for immediate acquisition.
 
Given high volume water drops and rapid turnaround time, the UH-60 Tsunami AFSS can help control new wildfires and protect homes in an urban interface fire outbreak.
 
“With this key approval, we are ready to assist fire aviation operators here in the U.S. at the start of an already active fire season,” states Recoil President and pilot Joseph Rice.  “Our rapid installation combined with high volume, fixed tank water delivery leads to maximum fire suppression effectiveness.”
 
Importantly, the Recoil AFSS is Made in America, with strong U.S.-based customer support operations and service.
 
Key features of the tank system include underside fuselage mounting, 1000 gallon capacity, retractable tank design, fastest airspeed available and rapid hover-filling.   
 
A major performance upgrade in capabilities from legacy external water buckets, Recoil-equipped firefighting crews are able to fly over urban population centers without the hazard of underslung, jettisonable loads.
 
Increased airspeeds mean suppression efforts become more efficient with rapid turnarounds and rapid response to incidents.
 
And Recoil AFSS-equipped operators have flown firefighting missions in Australia and South Korea in recent months.
 
Kentucky-based Recoil adds the UH-60 STC to a wide-ranging list of existing international approvals.  The Recoil H225 STC is already in place in the United States and Canada as well as the Republic of Korea, Brazil, Morocco, Australia and other regions.
 
Additionally, the company’s breakthrough Internal AFSS tank system for the UH-60 series is in final stages of U.S. FAA approval with STC anticipated mid year, available for the 2025 fire season in North America.  
 
Recoil’s low-profile external, retractable AFSS mounts directly to the fuselage, eliminating long-line bucket operations, requiring no modifications to the helicopter landing gear.  
 
In addition, Recoil provides full support including  its “Recoil Aerial Firefighting Academy” training program from its Bowling Green, Kentucky headquarters.
 
Recoil is the only US-based company producing these types of modern, fuselage-mounted, fully retractable AFSS tanks, in partnership with its Kentucky-based affiliate Aerospace Composites Solutions (ACS) which operates an AS9100 Certified Manufacturing facility.

UH60 XP Drop H