Aircraft
European Wildfires Fuel Case for New Water Bomber
French start-up Hynaero is developing an alternative to the Canadair firefighting aircraft
Hynaero Fregate F100 firefighting aircraft
The in-development Fregate F100 firefighting aircraft will be able to carry 10 metric tons of water and fight fires for more than four hours. © Hynaero

Unrelenting wildfires across Europe have focused the minds of policymakers on the imperative to strengthen air power options to combat the deadly blazes now spreading faster and farther. French start-up Hynaero, with backing from several leading legacy aerospace groups, is stepping up its plans to offer an alternative to the ubiquitous but aging Canadair water bomber for the 2030s.

The company’s objective is that its Fregate F100 platform will deliver a firefighting force multiplier with greater payload, mission duration, and reliability. The new aircraft, which CEO and co-founder David Pincet characterized as a “Super European Canadair,” is expected to be able to scoop up 10 tonnes of water (more than a 60% increase) and operate for more than four hours within 135 nm of its base at cruise speeds of 250 knots (40% faster).