Aviation News – The government of Alberta has officially committed C$400 million to purchase five state-of-the-art DHC-515 Firefighter aircraft from De Havilland Canada. This strategic investment aims to significantly bolster the province’s aerial firefighting capacity in response to increasingly volatile wildfire seasons.
The agreement, announced in February 2026, secures a production slot for the next-generation water bombers at De Havilland’s Calgary manufacturing facilities. While the province currently operates an aging fleet of CL-215s dating back to the late 1980s, these new amphibious planes are scheduled for delivery beginning in 2031. The move follows a broader trend of fleet renewal across Canada and Europe as the demand for specialized aerial suppression tools grows.
The DHC-515 is a modernized “super scooper” designed to skim water from lakes or oceans and fill its 6,137-litre tanks in just 12 seconds. This operational efficiency allows for rapid-fire suppression cycles, with the ability to drop nearly 700,000 litres of water per day. Technically, the aircraft features an advanced glass cockpit and upgraded turboprop engines, providing pilots with better situational awareness and increased safety while navigating the turbulent air found near active fire fronts.
