The DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft is a leader in aerial firefighting, capable of delivering nearly 700,000 liters of water into the fire zone each day—more than double the capacity of its nearest competitor. Photo credit: dehavilland.com
VICTORIA – The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) announced the signing of a government-to-government (G2G) contract with France’s DGA – La direction générale de l’Armement (DGA) du ministère français des Armées – a branch of the French Ministry of Defence, for the sale of two DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC). Through this G2G contract, DHC will provide France with the waterbombers, along with spare parts, training, and maintenance support.
“For decades, the Canadair aircraft have been the backbone of the French firefighting fleet. We are proud that France has once again selected the latest version of the Canadair, the DHC-515, to help protect the people and property of the country,” said Jean-Philippe Côté, Vice President, Programs and Business Improvement, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada.
In recent years, France has faced a notable rise in the frequency and severity of wildfires, a trend largely driven by climate change and evolving weather patterns. The acquisition of these new waterbombers will bolster the country’s firefighting capabilities as the impacts of climate change continue to intensify.
The DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft is a leader in aerial firefighting, capable of delivering nearly 700,000 liters of water into the fire zone each day—more than double the capacity of its nearest competitor. The DHC-515’s standout feature is its ability to refill its tanks in just 12 seconds from a variety of sources, including rivers, small lakes, and oceans. Unlike land-based aircraft, which need to return to an airport after each drop, the DHC-515 can operate continuously from nearby freshwater or saltwater sources, significantly enhancing its wildfire-fighting effectiveness.
This purchase of Canadian waterbombers by France is a result of ongoing collaboration between CCC, DHC, the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU), and its Member States to supply the EU with Canadian-made waterbombers. RescEU is facilitating the acquisition of 12 DHC-515 aircraft for Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Spain, and France, with a total of twenty-two DHC-515 aircraft being purchased through CCC.
“The DHC-515 represents the best that Canadian aerospace engineering has to offer and CCC is proud to help the government of France protect its people against wildfires with the next generation aerial firefighting aircraft,”said Kim Douglas, VP of Business Development and Marketing, CCC.
As Canada’s G2G contracting agency, CCC, along with Export Development Canada, Canada’s export credit agency, supports the DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ program as part of Canada’s broader efforts. For over 75 years, CCC has been instrumental in helping Canadian companies establish successful commercial relationships with foreign governments. Each G2G contract signed through CCC is legally binding in the name of the Government of Canada and includes a guarantee of contract performance.
Source: Business Examiner Staff & CCC
