# De Havilland Canada water bomber production expansion

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/de-havilland-canada-water-bomber-production-expansion
> Updated: 2026-10-31T01:14:15.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada has advocated for the creation of a national fleet of water bombers to address increasing wildfire threats. The company reported difficulties meeting global demand for its Canadair DHC-515 amphibious firefighting aircraft due to a previous production halt that disrupted its supply chain. Neil Sweeney, vice-president of corporate affairs, indicated that a large order from Canadian governments would provide the necessary capital to launch a second production line near Calgary.

Following these efforts, De Havilland Canada reached an agreement with the Canadian federal government and Export Development Canada for up to $2.5 billion in financing. This funding is intended to double the production capacity of the Canadair 515 aircraft and expand manufacturing operations. While the deal supports the aerospace supply chain and aims to make new production slots available starting in 2030, it does not establish a national firefighting fleet or represent a direct federal purchase of the aircraft.

## Claims

- De Havilland Canada reached an agreement for up to $2.5 billion in financing. (reported by 6 sources)
- The financing aims to double production capacity for Canadair 515 waterbombers. (reported by 6 sources)
- The financing will be delivered through Export Development Canada (EDC). (reported by 6 sources)
- Additional aircraft production slots are expected to be available starting in 2030. (reported by 6 sources)
- The agreement does not establish a national firefighting fleet. (reported by 6 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-31: De Havilland Canada secures $2.5B to double waterbomber production

De Havilland Canada has secured up to $2.5 billion in financing from the Canadian government and EDC to double the production of its Canadair 515 waterbombers by 2030.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/de-havilland-canada-secures-25b-to-double-waterbomber-production

### 2026-10-18: De Havilland seeks national water bomber fleet to meet demand

De Havilland is seeking a national order of 50 water bombers to expand production and meet surging global demand for wildfire suppression aircraft.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/de-havilland-seeks-national-water-bomber-fleet-to-meet-demand

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Cite as: De Havilland Canada water bomber production expansion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/de-havilland-canada-water-bomber-production-expansion