EU and Canada plan joint purchase of 50 De Havilland Canadair 515 firefighting aircraft

The European Union and Canada plan to announce a joint purchase of 50 De Havilland Canadair 515 firefighting aircraft at a summit in late October, according to a draft joint declaration reported by Politico and circulated to EU ambassadors at the end of September.

The draft covers trade, energy, technology, climate and resources, as well as aircraft. It states that the two sides look forward to announcing the joint acquisition of 50 De Havilland firefighting aircraft, which are to be ready for service in Canada and Europe from 2030. The declaration says the joint procurement will contribute to the safety of citizens affected by wildfires.

De Havilland Canada says the Canadair 515 can deliver up to 700,000 litres of water into a fire zone per day.

Orders for the Canadair 515 from several EU states were already known. In March the manufacturer said it was producing 22 aircraft for European customers, among them Croatia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and France, and that it had recently signed contracts with the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta.

The current firefighting aircraft built by the company is the Canadair 515, also designated the DHC-515.