All about the firefighting operations of the Hellenic Air Force’s CL-415s
By Babak Taghvaee
The Hellenic Air Force (HAF), one of Europe's largest operators of firefighting aircraft, has been operating Canadair CL-415 firefighting aircraft. Nicknamed the 'Super Scooper', the CL-415s are equipped with turboprop engines, enhancing the firefighting capabilities of the Air Force, which was a long-time operator of piston-engined CL-215s. The HAF received ten CL-415s in two models: 'GR' for firefighting duties and 'MP' for Maritime Patrol and Search and Rescue in addition to firefighting.
In service of the 383 Special Operations & Air Fire Fighting Squadron (383 MEEA) in Thessaloniki, three of them have been lost in accidents in 2006, 2007, and 2014, leaving seven aircraft still in service. In October 2024, two of them took part in the largest firefighting operation at the end of the fire season in Greece. In this article, we will review the technical capabilities and current status of the Hellenic CL-415 fleet and the plans for acquiring seven DHC-515s to use them in conjunction with its CL-415s.
Background
Between 1973 and 1990, the Hellenic Air Force received 16 CL-215 firefighter aircraft, which entered service at 355 MTM (Tactical Transport Squadron) in Elefsis Air Base. Unfortunately, five of them were lost in various accidents and incidents. In 1995, the Ministry of Agriculture requested the procurement of four former Yugoslav Air Force CL-215s from Slovenia to replace the lost aircraft. These aircraft were delivered in 1997. However, due to the increasing number of wildfires in Greece, an order was placed for ten CL-415s that same year.
The order included eight CL-415GR firefighter aircraft and two CL-415MP multipurpose aircraft with search and rescue capabilities. These aircraft were delivered between January 30, 1999, and November 3, 2004, with 355 MTM becoming their operator. They operated alongside the CL-215s until the decision was made to establish 383 MEEA in Thessaloniki to operate the CL-415s exclusively, leaving the CL-215s for 355 MTM only. Since their introduction, these aircraft have participated in international firefighting operations in Europe, Turkey, Israel, and other countries.
The CL-415 has two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF turboprop engines that produce 1,775 kW (2,380 hp) of power. This provides the aircraft with significantly better operational capabilities than the older CL-215, which had two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines producing 1,566 kW (2,100 hp) each.
With its more powerful engines, the CL-415 cruises at 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn), higher than the CL-215's 291 km/h (181 mph, 157 kn). The CL-415 can carry a maximum of 5,450 L (1,561.3 US gal) of water or fire retardant, while the CL-215 can carry 6,137 L (1,621 US gal).
In addition to the improved engines, the CL-415 features a modern cockpit with liquid crystal displays (LCD) instead of analog instrument gauges, modern navigation and communication systems, hydraulic-assisted control systems, and electronically controlled water release systems with four doors. It also has a mixing system for fire retardant agents.
The CL-415MP variant can be used for search and rescue missions. It is equipped with Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR), Weather Radar, and FLIR for all-weather conditions day and night. In addition to the pilot and co-pilot, these aircraft have a navigator, flight mechanic, and rescue personnel, making them versatile for various missions.
Thanks to the CL-415MP, the 383 MEEA has collaborated closely with the 31 Search & Rescue Operations Squadron of the Hellenic Air Force and the Hellenic Navy Underwater Demolition Teams during search and rescue missions.
Participation in Firefighting Missions Overseas
With the delivery of CL-415s, the Hellenic Air Force began participating in international missions to battle wildfires. This effort started on August 18, 1999, one day after the Izmir earthquake in Turkey. A catastrophic magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Kocaeli Province, causing monumental damage and almost 20,000 deaths. The quake also caused a fire in the Tupras petroleum refinery near Istanbul. The Turkish Air Force's C-130E equipped with MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) and civilian S-2T firefighter aircraft could not suppress the fire because they were flying at a high altitude.
A CL-415 from 355 MTM deployed at Ataturk airport in Istanbul effectively dropped foam and fire retardant on the burning oil tanks of the refinery from an altitude of 100 feet. On August 21, 1999, the CL-415 returned to the Elefsis air base after performing 15.5 hours of aerial firefighting in eight sorties in Turkey. It dropped 320 tons of foam on the burning tanks of the oil refinery, leading to the complete suppression of the fire. Immediately after its return to Greece, a CL-215 was sent to Ataturk airport in Istanbul to continue firefighting missions.
The participation of the 2042 in battling the fire at the Tupras oil refinery marked the beginning of the CL-415s' involvement in international firefighting operations. In the summers of 2000 and 2001, two CL-415s, now in service with the 383 MEEA, were deployed to Cyprus to battle a massive wildfire in the country. A similar mission was repeated in June 2016 following a massive wildfire in the Troodos mountain of Cyprus.
The 249 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force deployed four AT-802F Air Tractors to Paphos International Airport in Cyprus to assist the Cypriot Forestry Department, Police Aviation Unit, and Air National Guard in battling the wildfire. On June 19, the Cypriot government requested help from other countries to join the effort to extinguish the massive fire. Greece was the first European country to utilize its firefighting aircraft to assist Cyprus quickly.
Two CL-415GRs from the 383 MEEA, accompanied by a C-27J from the 354 MTM carrying their ground equipment, departed Thessaloniki early morning and arrived at Larnaca International Airport at 6:45 AM local time on June 20. After receiving a briefing, the CL-415s joined the operation at 10:42 AM local time under the command of the Joint Coordination Center in Galata village near the fire zone. The CL-415s' sorties lasted three hours, and to fill their water tanks, they performed water scooping in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Larnaca every 25-30 minutes. Their firefighting operations continued until June 23.
Later that year, on November 23, 2016, the 383 MEEA was tasked with deploying three CL-415s to Israel to extinguish a massive wildfire in the north of the country. The three aircraft were supported by a C-130H with 18 backup pilots onboard and 14 technicians and aircraft support systems to Hatzor Air Base. They carried out 21 flights in 63.7 hours to battle the wildfire over six days until November 29.
In addition to Cyprus and Israel, France has also been another country where the Hellenic Air Force has deployed its CL-415s to assist in battling wildfires. The French Civil Defence Flight Unit, despite having a large fleet of Dash 8-Q400MR and CL-415 firefighting aircraft, has sometimes requested assistance from other European member states during wildfires.
In June and July 2022, the HAF's 383 MEEA deployed two CL-415s to EU member states to assist their firefighters in battling massive wildfires. In the first case, two were sent to Albania to fight the wildfire on Sasona Island, while in the second case, they were deployed to France to battle a wildfire in the Gironde region. In August, Greece sent two CL-415s to France again to fight a fire in the same area.
On August 11, 2022, two CL-415s from the 383 MEEA, supported by a C-27J with 22 ground crew personnel onboard, arrived in Bordeaux around 8:30 PM local time. From the morning of August 12, they and CL-415s from the French Civil Security began battling the massive wildfire. A French CL-415 flew as the formation leader during each mission, while a Greek CL-415 flew alongside. They continued battling the wildfire in Greece until August 15 when they were redeployed back.
Expansion of the Super Scooper Fleet of the Hellenic Air Force
Out of the eight CL-415GRs and two CL-415MPs delivered the HAF, two CL-415GRs and one CL-415MP have been lost in accidents. The CL-415MP was lost on July 23, 2007, when it collided with a mountain after dropping water near Dilesos, resulting in the tragic deaths of its pilot, Dimitrios Stolidis and co-pilot Ioannis Hatzoudis. The two CL-415GRs were involved in non-fatal incidents on April 26, 2006, and May 5, 2014.
Currently, HAF's 383 MEEA operates six CL-415GRs and a CL-415MP. During fire seasons, which run from May 1 to October 31; usually, five of these aircraft are operational simultaneously. In the non-fire season, most aircraft undergo A and B Level checks in the maintenance squadron of 113 Combat Wing, with one or two CL-415s kept operational for pilot training purposes.
The HAF plans to replace the aging M-18s and CL-215s with 36 Air Tractor AT-802Fs and has ordered seven DHC-515s to complement its CL-415s at 383 MEEA. On March 21, 2024, the Greek Parliament approved a program to acquire seven DHC-515s for the HAF at a cost of 361 million euros. These aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2030. Two new DHC-515s will be part of an EU RescEU reserve program, allowing Greece to lend them to other EU countries in emergencies.
Building on the exceptional operational capability of the CL-415, De Havilland Canadair (DHC) 515 offers significant benefits to operators, including design changes incorporating new materials and corrosion protection to reduce maintenance costs. For today’s and future navigational standards, it offers a complete flight deck upgrade with an advanced avionics suite, delivering world-class reliability, enhanced safety, and unrivaled situational awareness.
In Action Against Forest Fires in the Corinth Region
Several days before the end of the fire season in Greece in 2024, a massive wildfire broke out in the Corinth Region, burning over 65,000 acres of forests between September 29 and October 5. The Elefsis-based 355th Tactical Transport Squadron (MTM) of the Hellenic Air Force deployed four airworthy Canadair CL-215 water bombers in response to the fire on September 29. The CL-215s were insufficient to contain the forest fire, leading to the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Tens of Greek and non-Greek military and civilian firefighting aircraft were deployed to airfields near the fire zone to extinguish the blaze. A total of 26 fixed-wing aircraft and 16 helicopters participated in the operation, successfully ending Greece's largest forest fire of the season. These two aircraft were CL-415s of 383 MEEA.
At the time when the fire occurred in the Corinth region, the 383 MEEA had only three out of its seven CL-415s airworthy; among these, one was kept in Thessaloniki to be used for firefighting operations in Northern Greece if needed, while two were deployed to Elefsis. Out of the four inactive CL-415s of 383 MEEA, one was under maintenance at Thessaloniki, one was being overhauled by the Hellenic Aerospace Industries corporation at Tanagra while two others were under overhaul or depot maintenance at Sabena Technics in Nimes, Southern France. While the CL-215s of 355 MTM flew in two ship formations, the Hellenic CL-415s led two or three-ship formations in which Croatian, French and Italian CL-415s flew as their number two and three.
On October 1, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Republic of Croatia Ivan Anušić issued an order to deploy a CL-415MP of the Croatian Air Force to Greece. The aircraft, '811', with four pilots, two flight engineers, and four aircraft technicians from 855 Protupožarna Eskadrila (855th Fire Fighting Squadron, 855th PPE) onboard, flew from Zadar to Elefsis. On the same day, two CL-415s of the Vigili del Fuoco (Italian Fire and Rescue Service) and a CL-415T of the Securite Civile (France), supported by a Beechcraft B200T King Air of Securite Civile, flew from their bases in Rome and Nimes to Elefsis.
To prevent mid-air collisions, aircraft and helicopters involved in firefighting operations in each block could only pick up water from the northern part of their block in the Corinth Gulf. If an aircraft or helicopter needed to cross over to the north of a block to refuel, those engaged in operations in that block had to stay over the Corinth Gulf until the returning aircraft or helicopter had passed. It could take up to 30 minutes for replacements from Tatoi, Elefsis, Araxos, Kalamata, or Tanagra to arrive after the departure of aircraft or helicopters from each block.
The forest fire was nearly extinguished in many regions by October 3. However, aircraft and helicopters had to continue dropping water to keep the land wet and prevent the fire from re-igniting during the day. This continued until October 5, 2024, when rain finally ended Greece's largest wildfire at the fire season's end. Foreign aircraft began redeploying to their countries on October 5 and completed the process by October 7, 2024.
By 2030, the HAF will have one of the largest fleets of firefighting aircraft in Europ,e consisting of ten CL-215s, seven CL-415s, seven DHC-515s and 36 AT-802Fs. They will fight forest fires not only in Greece but also in other countries within Europe and beyond. As a replacement for the aging fleet of CL-215s of the HAF’s 355 MTM, eight to ten more DHC-515s are considered to be ordered in 2026, with their deliveries taking place between 2030 and 2035. This will make Greece the largest operator of Super Scoopers in Europe.
