Transall Tankers integrates FireVision intelligence system into C-160 firefighting aircraft

Transall Tankers and Tabula have partnered to integrate live fireground intelligence capabilities into the Transall C-160 aerial firefighting platform, as the companies seek to enhance bushfire response operations in Australia and selected international markets.

The integration of Tabula’s FireVision platform will combine live fireground mapping, thermal imaging, aerial asset tracking, and operational intelligence with the heavy-lift capabilities of the C-160 aircraft. The move comes as fire agencies worldwide face increasingly complex and fast-moving wildfire events, particularly in remote and regional areas.

The technology is being incorporated while Transall Tankers progresses through the certification process required before the aircraft can enter operational service in Australia.

“Modern aerial firefighting is no longer just about dropping water or retardant on a fire front. It’s about delivering real-time intelligence, visibility, and coordination that supports faster and safer operational decision-making,” said Transall Tankers Founder and President John McDermott.

FireVision integrates with Lab 308 infrared imaging systems and Helitak firefighting tank technology, providing capabilities including thermal imaging overlays, active fire-edge visibility, drop-zone guidance, hazard identification, and aerial asset tracking.

Transall Tankers currently operates a fleet of four C-160 aircraft. One aircraft is ready for deployment pending certification, while a second is in the final stages of modification. Equipped with Helitak FT Series tank systems, the aircraft have a design carrying capacity of 14,500L and can operate from regional and remote air strips, supporting rapid turnaround during firefighting operations.