Fires: France only has 12 Canadairs, which have an average age of 30 years.

Like every summer, fires are raging, particularly in the south of France, along the Mediterranean coast. And like every summer, the question of strengthening firefighting resources, particularly aerial ones, is back in the spotlight. As part of a joint purchase initiated by the European Union, six member states—France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia—placed an order for 22 new-generation Canadair aircraft during the Paris Air Show (June 16-22).

The contract signed under the auspices of the European Union, as part of the RescEU project, provides for only two water bombers to reinforce the very aging fleet of 12 Canadairs operated by the French authorities. They are all "30 years old on average," says Jean-Philippe Côté, vice-president of the De Havilland Canada program. Their intensive use, particularly at sea, accelerates their aging. So much so, according to a parliamentary report released on July 2, that none of the 12 Canadairs were "fit to fly on certain days during the summer of 2024."

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