Elbit wins Israel MoD contract for new fire-fighting aircraft

The Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) has awarded a contract to Elbit Systems for the procurement of six new fire-fighting aircraft and operate the new fire-fighting squadron.

With the latest procurement, the squadron will comprise overall fourteen aircraft, including eight aircraft earlier acquired by Elbit Systems.

To be executed over an eight-year period, the contract covers flight hours, infrastructure upgrade, maintenance, airstrip operation, dealing with fire retardants and other phases of squadron operations.

Built by Air Tractor, the new single-engine fire-fighting aircraft are capable of carrying about 3,000l of water and flying three hours without refuelling.

Established in 2011, the Elad firefighting squadron has executed more than 4,600 missions, while accumulating over 2,500 flight hours and has helped extinguish over 500.

Elbit Systems has been working with the Israeli Air Force (IAF), fire-fighting units, the Jewish National Fund and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in building up the squadron’s operational processes and succeeding designated airstrips.

The aircraft will be flown by pilots of the project’s subcontractor CHIM-NIR.