Austrian military helicopters deployed 17 times for forest fire suppression

The Austrian Armed Forces deployed military helicopters to combat forest fires 17 times this year, a significant increase from just one deployment in 2025. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner reported that the helicopters delivered over three million liters of water to hard-to-reach areas during nearly 340 flight hours.

Various aircraft models were utilized, including the AW169 ‘Lion’, S-70 ‘Black Hawk’, and Agusta-Bell 212, operating from bases in Styria, Upper Austria, and Lower Austria. The Ministry of Defense emphasized that close cooperation with firefighters is essential for precise water dropping.

To prepare for future threats, the Austrian military is modernizing its fleet. Two of the four new Embraer C-390 transport aircraft scheduled to arrive by 2028 will be equipped with firefighting modules capable of carrying 11,000 liters of extinguishing agent.