Reuters
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.
Aerial Firefighting
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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.
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.
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.
High activity
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.
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.
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.
Australia’s transport safety bureau says risk conditions were not properly captured before a Bell 412 firefighting helicopter entered an uncommanded descent while filling its bucket. The finding comes in the ATSB’s final investigation report, which examines the circumstances surrounding the event.
Antin Infrastructure Partners has acquired a majority stake in High Performance Helicopters, expanding its infrastructure portfolio into helicopter services. HP Helicopters supports utility infrastructure operations and aerial firefighting, although the parties did not disclose the transaction value.
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