Guatemala acquires four military aircraft for $30 million

The Guatemalan Army has acquired four military aircraft from the United States for approximately $30 million as part of a modernization plan to enhance operational capabilities. The new fleet arrived at La Aurora air base on October 14.

The acquisition includes one Twin Otter aircraft, intended for personnel transport, parachute operations, medical evacuations, and establishing aerial bridges for emergency supplies. The remaining three aircraft are Ayres S2R-T660 Turbo Thrush models, specifically configured for aerial forest fire fighting.

Defense Minister Henry Sáenz stated that the specialized aircraft are necessary to combat increasingly large and difficult forest fires, noting that the military has suffered casualties during firefighting operations in previous years. The strategy involves attacking fire hotspots from the air to support ground teams in ensuring fires are fully extinguished.