[REVISION HISTORY]

Canada sale of Hercules aircraft for firefighting

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-10 04:21 UTC → 2026-08-20 02:05 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Canadian government has announced the conditional sale of ten retired CC-130H Hercules transport aircraft to Coulson Aviation Canada Ltd. The aircraft, which were part of a fleet of 12 retired by the Royal Canadian Air Force in January 2026, are intended to be converted into aerial firefighting platforms. The two remaining airframes are slated for museum display. Coordinated through the GCMil unit of Public Services and Procurement, the deal aims to bolster Canada’s wildfire-response capacity and strengthen the domestic aerospace sector. Coulson Aviation plans to restore and convert the planes at its ~~maintenance~~ maintenance, repair, and overhaul center at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport in British Columbia. The converted aircraft will be capable of dropping water and fire retardant from tanks exceeding 15,000 liters. A key advantage of the C-130 platform is its ability to operate from short runways with limited technical or navigational support. This acquisition will expand ~~Coulson's~~ Coulson’s global C-130H fleet to 20 ~~aircraft.~~ aircraft, following previous purchases of retired planes from New Zealand and Norway. The project ~~aims~~ is expected to ~~bolster Canada's wildfire-response capacity and~~ support ~~the domestic aerospace sector, with~~ local jobs and provide career opportunities for students in the company’s aircraft maintenance programs. The first converted aircraft ~~expected~~ are anticipated to be operational as early as 2027, pending Transport Canada ~~certification.~~ certification and the completion of contractual arrangements.

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