Cyprus to acquire new firefighting aircraft
The government of Cyprus has announced plans to purchase three new firefighting aircraft for use by its forestry department
The decision to purchase the aircraft was announced on 3 October, following an inter-ministerial committee meeting at the Presidential Palace.
A tender is due to be announced ‘within the next few weeks’, according to Andreas Gregoriou, Permanent Secretary at the Agriculture Ministry, speaking in a statement to the Cyprus Mail newspaper.
The new acquisitions will expand Cyprus’s fleet to include ‘eight firefighting aeroplanes and two helicopters at our disposal at all times’, he added.
The new aircraft will be introduced alongside the implementation of stricter punishments for reckless behaviors that lead to fires, alongside upgrades to the country’s Civil Defence and Crisis Management Centre and the acquisition of new aerial firefighting equipment.
The government of Cyprus also previously announced an order for six H145M helicopters for use by the National Guard in June 2022.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca was a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.