Rotorcraft
Black Hawk Tackles High-rise Blazes
UAE plans to use the helicopter to fight fires in skyscrapers
Dart SkyCannon
The SkyCannon is a standalone system that incorporates tank, pumps, refill hose, and water cannon in a single roll-on, roll-off installation that can be fitted in a Black Hawk cabin in around 30 minutes. © David Donald/AIN

The proliferation of high-rise buildings throughout the UAE has increased the challenges faced by emergency services in tackling blazes that could occur far above street level. One system that has considerable potential in this situation is the SkyCannon, a system developed by aerial firefighting experts Dart Aerospace.

SkyCannon was developed specifically for use in high-rise fire situations and has been adapted for use on the Airbus Helicopters H225, Avicopter AC313, and Sikorsky S-70/H-60. The latter is being tested by the UAE Joint Aviation Command aboard a UH-60L Black Hawk for potential use throughout the Emirates.