(Calgary) De Havilland Aircraft of Canada announced Thursday that it is relaunching a program to build water bomber aircraft, which will create 500 jobs in Calgary, Alberta.
Posted at 4:49 p.m.
The aircraft manufacturer said the De Havilland DHC-515 Firefighter program would build on the history of the Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft. Both of these aircraft types have been used to fight forest fires in Europe and North America for over 50 years, but are no longer in production.
The company has already signed letters of intent with European customers for the purchase of the first 22 aircraft and expects to make its first deliveries by the middle of the decade.
De Havilland Canada acquired the Canadair CL program in 2016 and has been planning to return the water bombers to production since 2019.
She said final assembly of the aircraft would take place in Calgary, where support for the CL-215 and CL-415 already in service takes place.
De Havilland Canada expects the DHC-515 to be an important tool for countries around the world as climate change increases the intensity and frequency of wildfires.