Minister of Defence Nuno Melo announced today that the state will acquire two forest fire-fighting kits to equip two C-130 aircraft, in an investment of around €16 million euros.
Speaking to journalists in Lisbon, on the sidelines of a ceremony to appoint directors of his ministry’s general-directorates, Nuno Melo announced that the Council of Ministers will approve the acquisition of two of the “most modern forest fire-fighting kits” to equip Air Force C-130 aircraft.
The Government’s objective is for the aircraft to be available as quickly as possible, although not this year, because it takes time to implement the kits and form new teams for this type of mission, he said.
“The fire kits, again, placed on the C-130s, carry a much larger quantity of water, I suppose up to 12 tons, with much larger discharges at once or in installments, compared to helicopters and will, in addition, be an important piece of equipment,” he added.
In total, the minister added, the country will have nine Black Hawk helicopters available to fight the fires, which are scheduled to begin operations next year, as well as two Canadair bombers to be delivered to Portugal in 2030.
When asked about the news in Público, which reports that the Portuguese Air Force has 10 aircraft (three KC-390 planes and seven Koala helicopters) that could be used to fight rural fires, but does not use them for this purpose because the State has not purchased the ‘kits’ that allow the aircraft to be properly adapted, Melo explained that this equipment is designed for other types of functions.
“The KPC-390 has nothing to do with fire kits, although, for example, in Brazil, some receive fire kits for completely different scenarios (…) that have nothing to do with the Portuguese reality. Portugal has a different size and nature, Brazil has another, and for Portugal, the C-130s are much better prepared aircraft,” he insisted.
Regarding the Koalas, Nuno Melo stated that they are being used in the fires for “transporting personnel, among other things” and that “it is not even correct to say that they are not being used.”
Source: LUSA
