Greece to Receive New Canadair 515 Firefighting Aircraft Built in Canada

Construction of the first Canadair 515 (also referred to as DHC‑515) fire‑fighting aircraft has begun at De Havilland Canada’s facilities in Canada. The aircraft, a modern amphibious water bomber designed to replace the older CL‑415, is slated for delivery to Greece in February 2028 as part of the European Union’s rescEU consortium.

Greece will ultimately acquire seven Canadair 515s by 2031, with two funded by rescEU and the remaining five purchased under a joint EU programme. Each aircraft can carry up to six tonnes of water, refuel in 12 seconds, and is equipped with night‑operation navigation systems, allowing it to fight forest fires around the clock.