"Water Bombers: French and European Industry Support Urged by PS MEP Sophie Pantel"
In a bid to strengthen France's firefighting capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, Sophie Pantel, a French politician, has been advocating for the establishment of a French and European filière for manufacturing water-bombing aircraft.
Currently, France's aerial fleet for fighting fires is aging, with the majority of the fleet designed to respond to the needs of the Mediterranean coast. The country is reliant on the Canadair and Beechcraft companies for water-bombing aircraft, but there are French projects in development.
One of the solutions proposed by Pantel, while waiting to create a real filière, is the retrofit of existing aircraft. Major aeronautics companies like Airbus are supporting French start-ups working on water-bombing aircraft, with the first French aircraft expected by 2030. Tests on the A400M aircraft at Airbus have shown positive results, and a kit for dropping water can be added to this aircraft.
Pantel warns against the structural leasing of the aerial fleet and the increasing costs, citing 100 million euros spent on leasing from 2020 to 2025. She pleads that France cannot do without a French fleet and emphasizes the importance of regaining sovereignty over its firefighting capabilities.
In addition to a French filière, Pantel suggests diversifying the fleet and complementing it with the fleet of the European Union and the RescEU program. RescEU is a reserve of civil protection capacities at the European level, which could provide additional support in case of large-scale emergencies.
Climate change has caused departments in France that were previously little affected by forest fires to become increasingly exposed. Pantel emphasizes the need to launch and support a French and European filière to combat fires and ensure that France and Europe are well-prepared for future emergencies.
Recent tests were conducted in the Gard and Bouches-du-Rhône regions to assess the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. While there is no established, publicly recognized sector for water-bombing aircraft at present, the future plans for investments and industrial planning in this area remain uncertain. However, the EU and member states have expressed interest in strengthening capabilities for climate-related emergencies, including wildfire management.
Sophie Pantel, a PS deputy, supports the renewal and adaptation of the fleet to respond to the entire national territory. She continues to advocate for the development of a French industrial filière for manufacturing water-bombing aircraft, with the hope of providing France and Europe with a more sustainable and self-reliant solution for firefighting.
- Sophie Pantel, a PS deputy, is advocating for the creation of a French industrial filiere for manufacturing water-bombing aircraft, which could lead to advancements in environmental science related to firefighting.
- Due to the increasing risks of forest fires in departments previously unaffected by them, there is a growing need for investment in the aerospace industry to develop innovative water-bombing aircraft.
- In her efforts to reduce France's dependency on foreign suppliers and increase its sovereignty over firefighting capabilities, Sophie Pantel is also promoting the diversification of the national aerial fleet, including the incorporation of EU and RescEU program fleets.
