The federal government is selling its retired military transport aircraft to a British Columbia-based firefighting company in a move that Ottawa says will strengthen the country’s aerial wildfire response capabilities. Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr says the deal to sell 10 surplus CC-130H Hercules planes to Coulson Aviation is still conditional, pending final contract arrangements and approvals from Transport Canada. The planes are part of a fleet of 12 Hercules aircraft that were retired in January after serving the Canadian military in strategic airlift and search-and-rescue operations. The remaining two CC-130H aircraft will be placed on public display at military bases and museums, the government said in a statement announcing the deal on Friday. Price ‘considered confidential’ The details of the agreement, including the sale price, are “considered confidential,” the statement said. “Responsible asset divestment can allow military assets to continue to protect Canadians while creating new opportunities for Canadian industry,” said Fuhr, who was in Abbotsford to announce the agreement. “Coulson Aviation’s planned conversions will extend the operational life of these aircraft and support emergency response capabilities, including crucial aerial firefighting missions.” The Port Alberni-based company, operated by three generations of the Coulson family since 1960, has become a world leader in aerial wildfire suppression. The company already operates converted Hercules aircraft in its global air tanker fleet. It said in a statement the acquisition will double the size of its Hercules fleet and provide “the scale to build the world’s largest and most capable C-130 airtanker fleet.” The conversion of the aircraft from military transport planes to civilian waterbombers is expected to begin at the company’s B.C. facilities in the coming months. Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound said that selling the planes to a company “with world-class expertise” will ensure the former military assets can continue to serve Canadians in the private sector. “This initiative supports good jobs, strengthens our aerospace sector and enhances Canada’s ability to respond to wildfires and other emergencies,” he said in a statement. ‘Made-in-Canada investment’ In January 2020, three American crewmembers were killed when a Coulson-owned Hercules tanker crashed while fighting wildfires in Australia. CEO Wayne Coulson says the converted Hercules aircraft can carry more than 15,000 litres of water or fire retardant using the company’s proprietary delivery system. “These aircraft served Canada for decades and we would like to recognize the men and women of the RCAF that operated these aircraft with exceptional professionalism throughout their service,” Coulson said in a statement. “Firefighters on the ground need aircraft overhead that can get there quickly, carry a meaningful load and keep working,” he added. “These aircraft will multiply the current initial attack capacity operating in Canada today.” Gord Johns, the NDP MP for Courtenay-Alberni who has publicly pushed for such a deal, called it a “made-in-Canada investment that will protect communities, strengthen our aviation sector and save lives.” Johns says the federal government should use the agreement as a stepping stone toward creating a permanent national aerial firefighting capability that can be deployed across the country as needed. “For too many years, communities across Canada have faced increasingly destructive wildfire seasons because of climate change, as provinces and territories are often forced to compete for a limited number of aircraft,” he said in a statement. “No community should be left without the equipment it needs to protect lives, homes and critical infrastructure when wildfire strikes.”
