The Portuguese Air Force signed a contract for the acquisition of three more Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks from Ace Aeronautics through the public tender with delivery scheduled for 2026. The contract also includes training for six pilots and 18 engineers.

The three helicopters will join the six previously acquired, two of which have already been delivered to the Air Force, increasing the fleet to nine. In 2018 the Portuguese Government transferred the State's own resources for the mission of fighting rural fires to the Air Force. As part of this, acquisition contracts were signed for two AW119 Koalas and six UH-60 Black Hawks and at the end of 2023, two AW119 Koalas and the first two UH-60 Black Hawks were delivered to Squadron 551 based at Air Base No. 8, in Ovar. This new contract will increase the number of helicopters operated by the PAF to eleven.