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4w ago

Alberta Orders Five DHC-515 Water Bombers in C$400 Million Wildfire Response Upgrade

Local production at De Havilland’s Wheatland County facility anchors the long-term upgrade.

De Havilland Canada's brand new water bomber, the CL-515, is among the aircraft the company will be building at its new manufacturing plant which is under construction about 30 minutes east of Calgary.
A De Havilland CL-215 firefighting aircraft was photographed at a De Havilland hanger at the Calgary International Airport on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. A modern version of the CL-215, the DHC-515, will be built at the facility.
A water bomber drops its load on a wildfire 16 km south of Fort McMurray, Alta., on Highway 63, on Friday, May 6, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
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Overview

  • The contract adds five Canadian-made amphibious aircraft that fly up to 330 km/h, scoop 6,137 litres in 12 seconds, and outperform Alberta’s aging CL-215s.
  • Officials project an almost 60% increase in the province’s total water-drop capacity once the new planes are operational.
  • The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive by spring 2031, with CL-215s and contracted airtankers continuing to cover near-term wildfire seasons.
  • The government estimates about 1,000 Alberta jobs linked to the program as De Havilland builds out its Wheatland County manufacturing site after relocating its headquarters in 2022.
  • The purchase supplements the province’s $160 million annual wildfire budget and recent measures such as night-vision helicopters and a hoist program after a 2025 season with 1,260 fires.