Following the 2024-25 Federal Budget release, the Australian Government announced increased funding for aerial firefighting in recognition of the important role fleets play in firefighting efforts. This funding includes the directive to procure new national aircraft to be made available for shared use between jurisdictions.

Five national aircraft were secured by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) under the funding package, with three Type-1 (Large) Rotary Wings procured, alongside the continuation and expansion of the national Large Airtanker and Lead Plane contracts for longer commitments, and a swap from the previous Boeing 737 LAT to a C130Q Hercules, Tanker 132.

NAFC welcomed the participation of helicopter providers in a time-limited, pre-qualified tender evaluation by agency aviation experts, resulting in the addition of two Blackhawks from South Australia’s Aerotech Helicopters, and one passenger-carrying S61N from Coulson Aviation Australia. The aircraft will ably supplement the existing NAFC and agencies’ fleets, providing all hazard response by firebombing through the Australian summer with the ability to assist with cargo carriage to aid in cyclone and flood relief almost year-round.

NAFC is grateful to its partners in Australian industry for the safe operations of these aircraft, and particularly to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for their continued efforts in their safety guidance and approvals for these aircraft to operate in Australia.

The aircraft are nominally based in Queensland, NSW and SA, but can be deployed nationally to the location of highest risk by the Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee.

AFAC’s National Resource Sharing Centre (NRSC) undertook a comprehensive update and expansion of its sharing protocols to integrate five new aircraft into the resource-sharing framework. A key focus of this effort was stakeholder engagement with the NRSC Resource Managers Group to allow jurisdictions to have clear pathways for submitting non-urgent requests to strategically position assets ahead of predicted fire danger periods, as well as urgent requests for rapid deployment during events.

The aircraft have been active during Australian fires this summer with a record 15 formal requests for redeployment in the last two months.

National aviation assets were among the aircraft deployed to support firefighting efforts for the 2024-25 Grampians National Park fires that were active for 21 days over the holiday season and caused mass evacuations. The extensive use of these national resources highlights Australia’s growing need to invest in aerial firefighting at a time when our seasons are becoming longer, warmer, and less predictable.

The national aviation assets will be on service until the end of April/early May 2025.

Figure 1: Tracking image from 27/01/2025 of the National Blackhawk VH-UHG's support of the 2024-25 Grampians fire in Victoria. 

Figure 2: Tracking image from 27/01/2025 of the National Blackhawk VH-UHS's support of the 2024-25 Grampians fire in Victoria. 

 

Source: Aerotech Helicopters 

 

Source: Ben Macht, QFS