CCC, Canada’s government-to-government contracting agency, announced the signing of a government-to-government (G2G) contract with the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece. The said contract concerns the sale of DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft manufactured by De Havilland Canada (DHC). 

Through CCC’s contract, DHC will supply Greece with seven (7) DHC-515 aircraft as well as spare parts, training, and support. The contract is the result of ongoing cooperation among CCC, DHC, the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism (rescEU), and its Member States to supply the EU with Canadian-made firefighting aircraft.  

Building on the foundation of the iconic Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft, the DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ is a new aerial firefighting aircraft, which, according to the company, matches the other aircraft in the De Havilland fleet in terms of lifespan, ruggedness, and Canadian aerospace engineering quality. 

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As already known, 2023 was a very difficult wildfire season worldwide, including in both Greece and Canada. The Hellenic Air Force provided exceptional service to the citizens of Greece in protecting the communities and natural resources of the country by operating their current CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft in very difficult conditions which even cost human lives. 

An example was the death of pilots Christos Moulas and Pericles Stefanidis after the last accident with a CL-215 aircraft in Karystos on July 25, 2023, an accident which was dramatically recorded in a live broadcast on state television.

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The DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft delivers the highest quantity of water into the fire-zone per day (nearly 700,000 L), more than twice as much as its nearest competitor, while it refills its tanks in 12 seconds from nearby fresh or saltwater sources including rivers, small lakes and oceans. 

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