UK to equip RAF Chinooks and A400Ms for aerial firefighting

The UK government has announced plans to equip Royal Air Force (RAF) Boeing Chinook helicopters and Airbus A400M transport aircraft with specialist firefighting equipment, establishing a permanently based military aerial firefighting capability.

The initiative is intended to strengthen the country’s response to increasingly severe wildfires, particularly in areas where steep terrain, remote moorland, and limited ground access complicate firefighting operations.

Under the proposals, the aircraft will be adapted to support wildfire suppression when requested by civilian emergency services. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will develop the capability, which will also help protect military training areas from the growing threat of wildfires.

Civilian fire and rescue services across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will continue to be able to request military support through the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) process.

Secretary of State for Defence Wes Streeting said the initiative would enable the armed forces to provide greater assistance to emergency responders.

“As the threat of wildfires in the UK grows, defense will step up to provide greater support to our emergency services and protect military training areas across the country,” he commented.

The aviation measures form part of a wider government wildfire preparedness package, which includes up to £45 million for specialist firefighting teams and protective equipment in England, alongside investment in prevention and early warning systems.

The government also announced plans for a Wildfires AI Unit within the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms’ National Situation Centre to improve wildfire detection and response coordination.

The announcement follows a summer of extreme heat and destructive wildfires across the UK, increasing pressure on emergency services and highlighting the need for additional firefighting resources.

The French military recently deployed its own Airbus A400M aircraft equipped with a roll-on/roll-off retardant delivery system during the wildfires that affected the country this summer.