Certification delays stall new firefighting aircraft capability

Almost a year aft announcing plans to present the Transall C-160 fixed-wing firefighting craft into Australia, aerial firefighting organisation Transall Tankers says ongoing certification delays are preventing the craft from entering service, contempt broad formation evaluations present having been successfully completed.

The craft person undergone extended inspections and testing and were developed to strengthen firefighting capableness successful rugged and distant environments crossed Australia and internationally.

Transall Tankers laminitis John McDermott said the delays were costing the institution wealth while preventing captious firefighting assets from being utilised up of aboriginal occurrence seasons.

“The disappointing portion is that the capableness is acceptable now. Significant backstage concern has already been made, the craft person been extensively evaluated, and they should already beryllium supporting firefighting operations,” McDermott said.

McDermott said the delays were creating operational and fiscal pressures, with the institution present seeking approvals and certifications successful overseas jurisdictions so the craft tin run internationally while Australian certification remains outstanding.

“But beyond the commercialized impact, the bigger contented is that these craft are unavailable to support firefighting operations contempt being afloat prepared and evaluated” McDermott said.

Operating arsenic a standalone specialist organisation, Transall Tankers was established to make and run dense fixed-wing aerial firefighting capableness for Australia and selected planetary markets.

McDermott said the institution remained committed to completing the certification process and bringing the craft into progressive service.

McDermott Aviation has begun deploying a large aerial firefighting fleet crossed Greece up of the 2026 occurrence season, its seventh year supporting Greek authorities (file photograph from 2022.) Photo: Supplied

No interaction connected Greek firefighting operations

Neos Kosmos asked McDermott Aviation whether the certification delays involving Transall Tankers would impact the company’s capableness to assistance Greece during the 2026 bluish summertime occurrence season.

A spokesperson said the delays would person “absolutely nary adverse impact” connected McDermott Aviation’s existing operations successful Greece.

“Transall Tankers are a abstracted institution and the fixed-wing craft programme is wholly separate,” the spokesperson said.

“There is nary interaction astatine all, and McDermott Aviation has conscionable deployed 15 helicopters to Greece.”

Neos Kosmos besides understands that erstwhile the craft person Australian approval, they could perchance beryllium deployed to assistance firefighting efforts successful Greece successful the future, should Greek authorities petition further support.

The fixed-wing craft are intended to complement — alternatively than regenerate — the chopper operations already undertaken by McDermott Aviation successful Greece.

Deployment to Greece has begun

On May 16, McDermott Aviation commenced deploying a large aerial firefighting fleet crossed Greece up of the country’s 2026 occurrence season, marking its seventh consecutive year supporting Greek authorities.

A total of 15 helicopters — including 11 Bell 214ST “Super Transporter” craft and 4 Bell 214B “Big Lifter” helitaks — are being mobilised from Australia and the United States, with operations moving done to 31 October 2026.

The craft will beryllium supported by astir 100 specialist unit rotating done Greece, alongside further operational support teams based successful Australia and working with section Greek providers.

Aircraft will beryllium positioned crossed 11 bases spanning cardinal land and mainland locations — from Araxos successful the west to Alexandroupolis successful the east, and from Ioannina successful the northbound to Crete and Rhodes successful the south — enabling accelerated effect crossed high-risk occurrence zones.