Rotorcraft
Erickson Progresses with Next Gen Water Cannon
Heavy-lift helicopter operator and manufacturer Erickson has released details on its new water cannon which has been under development since 2018.
Erickson has spent the past three years developing its next-generation water cannon for the S-64 Air Crane, which it says will be available in 2023. (Photo: Erickson)
Erickson has spent the past three years developing its next-generation water cannon for the S-64 Air Crane, which it says will be available in 2023. (Photo: Erickson)

Heavy-lift helicopter operator and manufacturer Erickson is currently in the final prototyping stage for its next-generation water cannon, which has been under development since 2018. According to the company, the new firefighting system for the S-64 Air Crane is electronically driven, as opposed to the heavier and bulkier hydraulic equipment required for its previous water cannon.

The Oregon-based company's new cannon can articulate in all directions, enabling fires to be targeted more efficiently because it can shoot forward, side-to-side, and up and down. An inertial measurement unit helps keep the stream fixed on a specific location regardless of the movement of the helicopter. In addition, the unit is more powerful than its predecessor, able to blast up to 900 gallons per minute to a distance of more than 200 feet.