IAI and Fire Free Forests partner on advanced aerial firefighting platform
The partnership aims to deliver a high-capacity airborne firefighting system to combat the escalating global threat of wildfires
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fire Free Forests (3F) to develop a next-generation airborne firefighting platform based on the 767 BDSF – a converted Bedek Special Freighter.
The collaboration addresses the growing global threat of wildfires, intensified by climate change. IAI will lead technical development of the 767FF Fire-Fighter aircraft, capable of deploying around 40 tons of fire retardant with precision. The platform will feature advanced sensors for real-time fire detection, environmental monitoring, and a centralised command-and-control system coordinating air and ground operations.
“As wildfires grow in frequency and intensity due to climate change, the need for innovative, large-scale solutions has never been more urgent,” said Boaz Levy, IAI President and CEO. “We are proud to apply our advanced engineering and aircraft conversion capabilities to help protect lives around the world and look forward to collaborating with 3F on this.”
Yaacov Berkovitz, EVP and General Manager of IAI’s Aviation Division, added: “IAI continues to demonstrate its ability to develop cutting-edge solutions... This new firefighting platform fuses our world-leading expertise in aircraft conversion to deliver a highly effective response to climate-driven threats.”
3F will oversee commercial deployment, offering a subscription-based service model for governments, reinsurers, and climate resilience programs. The global rollout will begin with phased deployments in wildfire-prone regions including the USA, Canada, Australia, and Southern Europe.
“This partnership reflects a shared ambition: to bring to market the most effective and scalable aerial response to wildfires,” said Marc Berdugo, Founding Partner of 3F. “With IAI’s world-class technical expertise, we are confident in our ability to deliver a powerful public-good instrument to safeguard lives, forests, and biodiversity.”
Barry Smith recently showcased US and Canadian smokejumpers parachuting into remote wildfires to stop their spread.
Chloe Fox
Chloe Fox is an Senior Editorial Assistant for Voyageur Group, joining in 2024. She writes for AirMed&Rescue and ITIJ, covering a range of topics including international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision, and air medical transportation. Chloe holds a BA (Hons) in English and an MA in English Literature from the University of Bristol.