Eu Begins Production Of Permanent Resceu Firefighting Fleet

RescEU firefighting airplanes production launched

Permanent fleet to enhance collective response to emergencies

12 amphibious firefighting planes to be acquired

The production of 12 amphibious firefighting planes to make up the permanent rescEU fleet has been launched following agreements signed with aircraft manufacturer De Havilland Canada.

The EU funds will enable the acquisition of a total of 12 new firefighting planes which will be distributed among six EU Member States: Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

The aircraft will be operated by the Member States and will be available to assist other EU countries in case of major forest fires.

Enhanced response to emergencies

The rescEU fleet is a European reserve of civil protection assets that can be deployed to assist EU countries in responding to major emergencies.

The addition of 12 amphibious firefighting planes to the fleet will significantly enhance the EU's collective capacity to respond to forest fires, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Technical specifications

The De Havilland Canada CL-515 is a specialized amphibious aircraft designed for firefighting missions.

• It can scoop up to 6,137 liters of water in 12 seconds from any natural water source, such as lakes, rivers, or the sea.
• The aircraft can then drop the water with great precision on the fire, making it an effective tool for extinguishing large-scale wildfires.
• The CL-515 has a range of over 2,000 kilometers, allowing it to be deployed to remote areas.

Timeline

The production of the 12 amphibious firefighting planes is expected to be completed by 2026.

Once the planes are delivered, they will undergo operational testing and training before being正式投入使用.

Quotes

"The acquisition of these 12 firefighting planes is a major step forward in strengthening the EU's collective response to emergencies," said Janez Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management.

"These aircraft will be a valuable asset in fighting forest fires, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change."

"We are proud to be partnering with De Havilland Canada on this project," said Jean-Luc Cattelain, Director-General of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

"Their expertise in manufacturing amphibious firefighting planes is world-renowned, and we are confident that these aircraft will meet the needs of our Member States."