LA County Supervisors approved a $43.1 million purchase of a Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk wildfire helicopter, a cost that Fire Chief Anthony Marrone says includes a 15% tariff on the aircraft imported from the EU under a Trump administration trade deal struck in July 2025.
The exact tariff cost can't be pinned down until final payment, meaning taxpayers won't know the real price until later. An additional $6.6 million will be needed for mission equipment before the helicopter enters service, joining a fleet that includes Sikorsky aircraft used for 25 years and over 19,000 combined flight hours.
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