French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced on 26/7 that an A400M transport aircraft had been deployed for firefighting, marking a global first for the aircraft type. Lecornu noted on X that this achievement came after just 15 days of preparation, thanks to close cooperation among French civil security forces, the French military, and Airbus.
Lecornu shared a video showing a French Air Force Airbus A400M transport aircraft dropping fire retardant from its rear cargo door on 25/7 while combating a wildfire in Gironde province, southwest France.
The aircraft is equipped with a prototype modular firefighting system, Mk 2, which can be quickly installed or removed from the cargo bay as needed, allowing easy conversion between transport and firefighting missions.
The French Air Force stated that this deployment is the result of a research program launched in 2024, aimed at improving wildfire fighting effectiveness. The project involved Airbus, the French Air Force's Operational Test Center, and France's Directorate General for Civil Security and Crisis Management.
Instead of flying directly into the heart of a fire, the A400M operates ahead of the fire's spread, releasing long strips of fire retardant around at-risk areas. This method helps slow the fire's spread, allowing ground forces to control the blaze more effectively.
Unlike specialized firefighting aircraft such as the Canadair CL-415, the A400M cannot scoop water directly from lakes or the sea. After each retardant drop, the aircraft must return to an airfield to reload. Thus, its primary role is to supplement dedicated firefighting fleets.
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An Airbus A400M transport aircraft drops fire retardant to prevent wildfires near Lacanau, Gironde province, southwest France on 25/7. _AP_ |
Airbus first introduced the Mk 2 in Spain in 7/2022. During initial tests, an A400M aircraft dropped 20 tons of water from the Mk 2 in under 10 seconds. By 4/2025, accuracy tests continued in the French city of Nimes.
On 21/5, Spain also announced plans to equip a portion of its A400M fleet with a similar firefighting system.
France is currently battling large-scale wildfires that exceed the capacity of ground firefighting forces. In France's Gironde region, home to Bordeaux, famous for its wine industry, local authorities have issued evacuation orders for over 250,000 people in response to the wildfires. This marks one of France's largest evacuation operations since World War II.
The burned forest area in Gironde, primarily pine forests and dried scrub after successive heatwaves, has increased to nearly 42,000 hectares.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that the wildfire situation remains "very unfavorable." Fires have reignited fiercely and are unpredictable, with high temperatures creating their own wind currents, spreading flames in unpredictable directions.
Nhu Tam (According to Aero Time, Flight Global)
