Federal government sells 10 C-130 Hercules aircraft to be converted into waterbombers
The military transports will be converted in B.C. and could fight fires within 12 months under the conditional sale announced Friday.
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The federal government will sell 10 of its used C-130 Hercules aircraft to Coulson Aviation, a B.C.-based aerospace company that will convert them into firefighting aircraft. Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr announced the conditional sale Friday at an air show in Abbotsfield, B.C.
The conversion will take place in Port Alberni, B.C., with the first aircraft potentially deployed to fight fires within 12 months. Fuhr said the sale demonstrates how military assets can retain value long after their service in the Canadian Armed Forces ends. Officials at the announcement did not disclose the approximate purchase price or value of the transaction.
The Canadian military has been looking for ways to modernize its aging transport fleet while finding productive uses for retired equipment. This sale represents one approach to that challenge, extending the operational life of the aircraft while addressing a critical gap in Canada's wildfire response capacity.
What is the purchase price or approximate value of the transaction?
What is the timeline for conversion beyond the first aircraft?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
How many C-130 Hercules aircraft is the federal government selling?
The federal government is selling 10 C-130 Hercules aircraft to Coulson Aviation, a B.C.-based aerospace company.
When could the converted waterbombers be deployed to fight fires?
The first aircraft converted by Coulson Aviation could potentially be deployed to fight fires within 12 months of the conversion work beginning in Port Alberni, B.C.
