Airbus turns military cargo plane into water bomber to fight wildfires

Airbus SE is testing a system to equip its A400M military transporter planes with water tanks to fight wildfires, which are occurring with greater frequency in Europe and North America. 

The planemaker flew a modified aircraft in Spain last week that successfully let loose some 20 tons of water in less than 10 seconds, according to a statement Tuesday. 

“The plane has very good potential for transformation into one that can drop water,” Jean-Brice Dumont, head of military air systems at Airbus, said on France Info radio. The prototype has been in development for about nine months, and “there is a sense of urgency” to get it to market.

The tests were carried out as French and Spanish firefighters battled major forest fires last week in the midst of a heatwave, while others rage in California. The intensity of the blaze in France’s southwestern Gironde region raised questions about whether the country has enough water bomber planes to combat the problem. 

Airbus put a tank in the cargo hold of an A400M plane, along with two hoses to discharge water at low altitudes. The manufacturer said the equipment could be sold as a firefighting kit that can be added or removed.

“The goal is to be able to transform the planes very quickly into a firefighting version without much notice,” Dumont said. Airbus said the A400M is able to drop payloads of water at low speeds and heights down to 150 feet.

Unlike the Canadair aircraft used around the world for firefighting, the Airbus system can’t scoop up water from a nearby source like a lake. But it can transport more than three times the volume, add flame retardants and work after dark.  

“We’re going to look at using the A400M at night, which is a big handicap of Canadair planes because they have to stop when the sun goes down,” he said.