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Coulson Aviation Canada to acquire 10 retired RCAF C-130H Hercules aircraft for firefighting

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Coulson Aviation Canada has conditionally agreed to acquire 10 of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s retired C-130H Hercules transports for conversion into aerial firefighting aircraft. The sale, announced at the Abbotsford International Airshow, follows the RCAF’s retirement of its 12-aircraft fleet; two airframes will be preserved.

Discovered 2026-08-08T04:51:17.514120-07:00 | 2026-08-08T04:51:17.514120-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The transaction transfers 10 retired military transports into firefighting service, expanding Coulson Aviation Canada’s heavy-aircraft capacity for wildfire response.
  • The sale follows the RCAF’s retirement of all 12 CC-130Hs, with only two aircraft retained for display at military bases and museums.
  • The conditional acquisition illustrates how retired military airframes can be repurposed for specialized civil missions rather than removed entirely from operational use.

Reported By

Air Data News c-130.net
Sources Tracked
2
First Seen
2026-08-08T04:51:17.514120-07:00
Latest Update
2026-08-09T04:45:35.383104-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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