De Havilland Canada Launches DHC-515 Firefighting Aircraft

De Havilland Canada said it will begin production of a new firefighting aircraft in response to the prevalence of wildfires around the world.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, April 04, 2022 at 02:01 PM ET

Verified

The CL-415 EAF, currently the latest in the line of Canadair aerial firefighters, will soon be joined by the next generation DHC-515 Firefighter. [Courtesy: De Havilland]

Key Takeaways:

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada launched its DHC-515 Firefighter program, with initial deliveries expected by mid-decade and 22 aircraft already ordered by European customers.
The DHC-515 is an upgraded successor to the well-known Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 amphibious firefighters, designed to enhance overall performance.
Key features include the ability to refill tanks from water sources in 12 seconds and a capacity to drop up to 700,000 liters of water per day on fire zones.
The program responds to the increasing prevalence of wildfires globally and will create over 500 jobs at its Calgary assembly facility.

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De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. said it launched its DHC-515 Firefighter program and expects to begin delivering aircraft by the middle of this decade. The company said European customers have signed letters of intent to purchase the first 22 aircraft built.

The DHC-515 Firefighter is a successor to the well-known Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 amphibious that have been used extensively for firefighting in North America and Europe for more than 50 years. The new model incorporates upgrades designed to increase its overall firefighting performance.