CCC, Portuguese Air Force sign contract for Canadian waterbombers
18 Julio 2024 - 7:44AM
CCC is proud to announce the signing of a government to government
(G2G) contract with Portugal’s Air Force for the sale of two (2)
DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft manufactured by De Havilland Aircraft
of Canada (DHC). Through CCC’s G2G contract, DHC will provide the
DHC-515 aircraft to Portugal, along with spare parts, training, and
maintenance support. The G2G contract is the result of ongoing
cooperation between CCC, DHC, the European Union’s Civil Protection
Mechanism (rescEU) and its Member States to supply the EU with
Canadian-made waterbombers. Portugal joins Greece and Croatia in
the acquisition of aircraft supported by rescEU, bringing a total
of eleven (11) DHC-515 aircraft contracted through CCC.
Portugal has experienced in recent years more frequent and
intense wildfires, largely due to rising temperatures, prolonged
droughts, and changing precipitation patterns. These fires have led
to widespread destruction of property and loss of life. The
Portuguese air force will use its new waterbombers to continue
protecting the country’s citizens and rich biodiversity from the
devastating impacts of wildfires.
Building on the iconic legacy of Canadair CL-215 and CL-415
aircraft, the DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ is a new purpose-built aerial
firefighting aircraft. The DHC-515 aircraft delivers the highest
quantity of water into the fire-zone per day (nearly 700,000 L),
more than twice as much as its nearest competitor. It can refill
its tanks in 12 seconds, from nearby fresh or saltwater sources
including rivers, small lakes, and oceans, while land-based
aircraft must return to airport after each drop. The next
generation waterbomber matches the other aircraft in the De
Havilland fleet in terms of lifespan, ruggedness, and Canadian
aerospace engineering quality.
CCC, Canada’s G2G contracting agency, and Export Development
Canada, Canada’s export credit agency, are part of Canada’s overall
support for the DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™ program. For over 75 years,
CCC has been helping Canadian companies to establish successful
commercial relationships with foreign governments. Every G2G
contract signed with CCC has the legal effect of being signed in
the name of the Government of Canada and comes with an assurance of
contract performance.
To learn about how Canada’s G2G contracts support Canadian
exports, contact CCC.
Quotes
“CCC is proud to help the Portuguese Air Force to acquire De
Havilland Canada's advanced waterbombers and strengthen Portugal’s
capacity to combat wildfires that endanger its people and their
properties.” – Kim Douglas, VP of Business Development and
Marketing, CCC
“De Havilland Canada is honored to assist the Portuguese Air
Force in safeguarding their country's communities and natural
resources. With the acquisition of these new DHC-515 FIREFIGHTER™
aircraft, they will be better equipped to combat wildfires across
Portugal and we look forward to supporting the country and these
aircraft for decades to come.” – Neil Sweeney, Vice
President, Corporate Affairs De Havilland Aircraft of
Canada
Related
- CCC, Greece sign contract for DHC-515 firefighting
aircraft
- CCC, Croatia sign contract for DHC-515 firefighting
aircraft
Quick Facts
- Increased wildfire risks due to climate change has generated a
demand for additional aircraft within the EU and globally. The
Member States of the European Union (EU) currently operate over 50%
of the global fleet of previous iterations of the DHC-515
FIREFIGHTER™ aircraft.
Contact
For media enquiries, please contact communications@ccc.ca
About CCC
CCC is Canada’s government to government contracting agency. We
help build successful commercial relationships between Canadian
businesses and governments around the world through our government
to government contracting approach. We are also the U.S. Department
of Defense designated contracting authority for procurements from
Canada. To learn more about how we have facilitated billions in
trade between Canadian businesses and governments around the world,
visit ccc.ca.