Israel’s Firefighting Squadron will get more aircraft
This post is also available in: 
עברית (Hebrew)
The Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) decided to allocate $100 million to procure six new firefighting aircraft and operate the firefighting squadron. Thus, Israel will eventually have a total of 14 firefighting.
Israel’s Elad firefighting squadron was founded four years ago following the Mount Carmel forest fire. It is named after Elad Riben, the fire scout who was killed in this fire. Since its inauguration in 2011, the firefighting squadron has performed over 4,600 missions, accumulated over 2,500 flight hours and has helped extinguish over 500 potentially destructive fires across the country, providing a prompt and professional solution.
Register to iHLS Israel Homeland Security
Since 2011, Elbit Systems has been cooperating with the IAF, firefighting units, the Jewish National Fund and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in developing the squadron’s operational procedures and qualifying designated airstrips. The aircraft will be flown by CHIM-NIR’s pilots, the project’s subcontractor.
The firefighting aircraft procurement contract MoD decided to award Elbit systems is to be performed over an eight-year period. The contract also covers flight hours, infrastructure upgrade, maintenance, airstrip operation, handling of fire retardants and other aspects of operating the squadron.
The firefighting aircraft, manufactured by Air Tractor, are single-engine aircraft, capable of carrying approximately 3,000 liters of water and flying three hours without refueling.
Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems commented: “We are very proud to be selected for this opportunity to harness our professional capabilities and vast experience to the collective efforts of protecting Israel’s residents and natural landscape”.
