Greece is set to significantly upgrade its firefighting capabilities with the purchase of 25 new Air Tractor aircraft. The €154.8 million ($182 million) deal was awarded to Air Tractor Europe and will be funded through a combination of EU and national resources.
The new fleet will include nineteen single-seat and six dual-seat AT-802 Fire Boss amphibious planes, which are already part of Greece’s existing firefighting efforts.
Greece prepares for increasingly destructive fire seasons with new firefighting aircraft
These highly maneuverable, single-engine aircraft are designed for rapid response, capable of reaching speeds of nearly 300 km/h (186.4 mi/h) and deploying within five minutes of an alert.
A key advantage of the AT-802 Fire Boss is its amphibious design, which allows it to scoop up to 3,100 liters of water from lakes or other water sources. This ability to refill on the go dramatically increases the frequency of water drops compared to larger tankers that must return to an airport.
The aircraft can also operate from unprepared runways near fire zones, further reducing response times. Authorities believe this expanded fleet will be a critical asset, as Greece prepares for increasingly destructive fire seasons, providing a major boost to the country’s aerial firefighting efforts.
Related: Wildfires in Greece and Cyprus Intensified by Climate Change, New Study Finds
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