en.Wedoany.com Reported - On June 4, France confirmed an additional order for two DHC-515 amphibious firefighting aircraft to strengthen the nation's aerial wildfire response capabilities amid growing climate risks. The announcement was made during an official ceremony at the Nîmes-Garon Civil Defense Air Base, where Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut disclosed the procurement decision during a ministerial visit.

The contract for the two aircraft was formally signed at 13:00 local time, and these planes will join France's expanding next-generation aerial water-bombing fleet. The event took place at the operational hub of the Civil Defense Aviation Fleet in southern France, which plays a central role in Mediterranean wildfire response.

This procurement is part of France's long-term modernization plan to update its aging amphibious aircraft fleet, currently consisting of Canadair CL-415 planes operated by the civil defense authorities. Parliamentary budget documents and the draft 2026 Finance Act indicate that this is part of a multi-phase renewal strategy aimed at maintaining aerial firefighting capabilities over the next decade. Due to production constraints, delivery is expected in the early 2030s.

The DHC-515, developed by De Havilland Canada, is the latest generation of amphibious firefighting aircraft, designed to gradually replace aging CL-415 models across Europe. France is one of several EU countries participating in a joint procurement program under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which aims to strengthen shared wildfire response capabilities among member states. In recent years, wildfires in southern Europe have intensified, and authorities increasingly rely on aerial assets as a first line of defense during the summer fire season. The French Interior Ministry has previously emphasized the need to enhance operational capacity as climate change increases the frequency and severity of forest fires.

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