Aerial Firefighting News

FlightGlobal

RAF to deploy Chinooks and A400Ms against wildfires for first time

The Royal Air Force will use aircraft including CH-47 Chinook helicopters and Airbus A400M transports to support wildfire response, an unprecedented role for the fleet. The move follows the hottest summer on record and adds military airlift assets to the UK’s aerial firefighting capability.

FlightGlobal

Commercial satellite capacity gains defense roles, from U.S. reserve contracts to Ukraine’s sovereign network plans

The U.S. Space Force has awarded initial operational contracts for its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve, while Kyiv is considering ICEYE- and Nokia-backed sovereign communications satellites after uncertainty over Ukraine’s Starshield access. Separate efforts target satellite links for UK drones and commercial satellite intelligence for wildfire response, underscoring expanding defense and public-service uses.

Reuters

UK to use RAF Chinooks and A400M aircraft for wildfire response

After its hottest summer on record, Britain will equip Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters and A400M Atlas transport aircraft to fight wildfires. The move creates a permanently UK-based military aerial firefighting capability for the first time, as the government steps up its response to increasingly severe fires.

Vertical Mag

JOUAV introduces integrated UAV hangar for wildfire detection and response

JOUAV has introduced an integrated UAV hangar solution designed to support wildfire management. The system is intended to enable aerial fire detection, firefighting operations and post-fire assessments, bringing multiple stages of the response within one unmanned-aircraft setup.

Vertical Mag

TracPlus appoints Phil Nunn chief commercial officer to expand aerial-firefighting business

TracPlus has named Phil Nunn chief commercial officer, tasking him with leading its commercial team and bringing the company’s offerings to agencies and operators running aerial firefighting operations worldwide. The appointment signals a push to grow TracPlus’s reach in the sector.

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

ESA names CryoRad among three finalists for next Earth Explorer science mission

The European Space Agency has selected CryoRad as one of three finalists in its Earth Explorer program, which develops scientific satellites to test new Earth-observation techniques. A separate report says ESA selected Planet subsidiary Sinergise to develop a satellite-based disaster-response system for Slovenia, initially focused on wildfire management.

Vertical Mag

Airbus forms H225 firefighting operator group to shape future development

Airbus has launched an operator group for H225 helicopters used in firefighting, creating a forum intended to help guide the aircraft’s future development. The announcement signals a focus on incorporating operator input into the platform’s evolution for aerial firefighting missions.

AeroTime

Canada and EU plan joint purchase of 50 De Havilland water bombers for service from 2030

Canada and the European Union are preparing to announce a joint purchase of 50 De Havilland water bombers, with aircraft intended for use in both regions from 2030. The plan would establish a shared procurement approach for aerial firefighting capacity across Canada and Europe.