La Story (Les Echos) Analysis: The Aging French Firefighting Fleet—The Canadair Renewal Problem and the New 'Fregat' Aircraft from Startup Inaero

▶ Original Episode: https://shows.acast.com/la-story/episodes/canadairs-comment-renouveler-la-flotte-francaise-rediffusion

July 18, 2026

Overview

This article is based on a rebroadcast of 'La Story,' a daily news podcast from the French business newspaper Les Echos. Following a massive forest fire in early July 2026 that burned through the Fontainebleau forest in France, destroying 2,000 hectares in just two days, the aging and renewal issues of the 'Canadair' firefighting aircraft—the backbone of firefighting operations—have once again come under the spotlight.

Forest fires are becoming longer and larger due to the effects of global warming, spreading not only across France but also to other European countries such as Spain, Germany, Romania, and Italy. However, the Canadair, the key to aerial firefighting, has an average age of over 30 years, and with the manufacturer Bombardier having ceased production in 2015, the shortage of successor aircraft is becoming critical.

In this program, Les Echos industry reporter Bruno Trévidic and Gironde correspondent Franck Niederkorn are invited to discuss the current state of France's aerial firefighting capabilities, the unique nature of the Canadair, the lack of preparation due to national budget cuts, and the 'Fregat' project—a new aircraft from the French startup Inaero that aims to fill this void.

The three types of aerial firefighting forces in France

The aerial forces that France can deploy for forest fires are broadly divided into three types. First is the Canadair, the main firefighting aircraft that drops water. As everyone knows, their numbers are completely insufficient, and they are also reaching the end of their service life. Next is the Dash 8, which is also a relatively old aircraft, responsible for spraying retardant (a chemical agent that slows the spread of fire). Finally, there are helicopters for more localized deployment, as well as observation aircraft and drones for early fire detection.

At first glance, it looks like a well-equipped lineup, but as Trévidic points out, it is revealed every summer that they are actually severely lacking. The current French fleet consists of 12 Canadairs, 8 Dash 8s, and 3 Beechcrafts.

Firefighting operations are divided into three main stages. First, fire detection. Second, flying retardant-spraying aircraft along the edge of the fire to slow its spread. This agent itself does not extinguish the fire, but merely suppresses its expansion. And the third 'sledgehammer' is the Canadair, which drops 6 tons of water at once. According to experts, it is necessary to drop 100 tons of water in the first hour to have a chance of containing a fire.

What is interesting is that rather than the water falling onto the flames to extinguish them, the 'wind pressure' generated when the mass of dropped water reaches the fire source is what blows the fire out. This means that an aircraft capable of dropping a massive amount of water all at once in literally a few seconds is required, rather than one that sprays it in a mist in mid-air.

Why is the Canadair such a special aircraft?

According to Trévidic, the Canadair is special simply because it is the only firefighting aircraft available in this region. While Russia and China have similar aircraft, they are not viable options in practice.

The Canadair has already reached a considerable age, and production was halted about 10 years ago because the Canadian manufacturer went bankrupt. Since then, Canadair was acquired by a Canadian subsidiary of de Havilland, and while the resumption of production is being considered, time is needed to reorganize the system, and the arrival of a next-generation new Canadair cannot be expected before 2028. In other words, its value lies in the fact that it is rare and indispensable, rather than being particularly technologically superior.

Furthermore, the long-standing rumor that Canadairs suck up swimmers when refilling water is not true and is physically impossible, as clarified again in the program. The aircraft takes in several thousand liters—specifically 6,000 liters—of water into its fuselage while skimming the water surface.

Forces established 30 years ago and ever-expanding fire risks

The hourly flight cost of a Canadair was estimated at 16,000 euros (approximately 2.97 million yen, calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen) in a 2004 Senate report. Since then, the French Senate has repeatedly issued reports, and the 2021 budget proposal in 2020 pointed out that the aging of the French fleet is a 'serious cause for concern.' A parliamentary report pointing out the operational limits of the Civil Security aerial forces was also released in early July.

According to Trévidic, the Canadair fleet is simply aging. The average age is over 30 years, and the aircraft are exposed to harsh conditions. Because they land on the sea surface to scoop up seawater, corrosion is a constant problem. The technology is old and very primitive; it is closer to a 1950s aircraft found in a museum than a modern airplane. Costs are significantly inflated by the difficulty of maintenance and parts procurement, as well as the constantly dangerous operating conditions. Since the mission itself is not easy and the aircraft being flown are likely dangerous, Trévidic states that the courage of the pilots should be praised.

Furthermore, fire risk is no longer limited to summers in the south of France. France has about 17 million hectares of forest, which accounts for 31% of its land area, making it the fourth most forested country in the EU (European Union) after Sweden, Finland, and Spain. Trévidic points out that not only periods of drought but also a lack of forest maintenance due to budget shortages is a problem. He remarked with irony that decisions such as stopping undergrowth clearing for the sake of biodiversity might benefit hedgehogs, but they also become excellent fuel for fires.

The President's promise and the slashed budget

Despite so many warnings, why is there a shortage of Canadair aircraft in France? Mr. Trévidic's answer is straightforward: because the state makes promises it cannot keep and forgets them as soon as financial problems arise.

A typical example is 2022. After devastating fires, the President himself promised to renew the Canadair fleet and even announced the purchase of several more aircraft to increase the total to the required 16. However, not only was this not carried out, but the budget for the Civil Security Agency was reportedly cut by approximately 50 million euros (about 9.3 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen). Instead of providing additional funding, they actually took it away.

European-wide framework and joint procurement

This summer, Romania, Italy, and especially Spain were hit by large-scale fires. This is where EU policy becomes important. According to Mr. Trévidic, fortunately, there is a mechanism for sharing firefighting resources. Furthermore, the EU has decided to order 22 Canadair aircraft with secured funding, which will be distributed to the countries that need them. France is not the country in most need—Greece and Portugal are in more serious situations—but France is also on the list.

The EU has established rescEU (a common European emergency response reserve) within the framework of the Civil Protection Mechanism, which includes 12 Canadair aircraft and one helicopter provided by several European countries. Between 2007 and 2019, this reserve was activated an average of 6.5 times per year for forest fires.

Competition over the Canadair successor and a French startup

The de Havilland Group has resumed production of firefighting aircraft at its Calgary plant following European orders. Mr. Trévidic explains that the reason Canada stopped production about 10 years ago was due to management issues at the time and the difficulty of refinancing the development of new aircraft. Even though they are essential during fires, there are only about 300 of them in the world, and manufacturing is not profitable, so launching a new program costs 500 million to 1 billion euros (about 92.9 billion to 185.8 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen). It is a field that only those with plenty of capital who do not expect a return on investment can enter.

Meanwhile, several players are aiming for the successor position. A startup in France that is attracting particular attention is Inaero. The company's 'Fregat' project is considered the most ambitious, aiming to be a 'super-Canadair.' It is said to carry 10 tons of water compared to the 6 tons of the conventional Canadair, feature modern avionics, be 40% faster, and consequently perform twice as many drops. However, such projects cost a huge amount of money. Inaero estimates the program cost at 600 million euros (about 111.5 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen), but has only secured a few tens of millions of euros, with the majority still to come. The fact that it is the type of project that tends to keep private investors away also makes fundraising difficult.

Another French startup worth mentioning is Positive Aviation in Toulouse. This is a more modest project: converting the ATR 72 regional transport aircraft, manufactured in Toulouse, into an amphibious firefighting aircraft. The company claims it will be much cheaper than building a brand-new Canadair, and this project is also looking for funding.

Collaboration with Airbus and the role of the A400M

Inaero has received support from Airbus Defence and Space, the military division of Airbus ($AIR). However, according to Mr. Trévidic, this is technical rather than financial support, at a stage where engineers and design offices are helping to verify the work.

Airbus Defence and Space is pushing the A400M transport aircraft not as a replacement for the Canadair, but rather for the role of the Dash 8. Since the A400M is a transport aircraft, it loads reinforced plastic water tanks into its large cargo hold, which are filled not with water but with fire retardant. The aircraft lands to fill the tanks, flies low over the fire, and opens the rear door to release the retardant. Because the A400M cannot drop a large amount of water at once, it cannot perform the job of a firefighting aircraft and remains limited to the role of the Dash 8, which is to spray retardant on the edge of a fire. Moreover, like a normal airplane, it requires landing on a runway for every refill and does not have the ability to quickly refill from any water surface like a Canadair.

The appearance of the new Fregat F100 and the people leading Inaero

In March 2026, Inaero successfully raised an additional 117 million euros (about 21.7 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen) from BPI France (Public Investment Bank), the Southern Region, and the France 2030 plan. This funding will be used to start the design phase of the next-generation amphibious firefighting aircraft and to develop industrial facilities. The first flight test is expected in 2031, with the first delivery expected in 2032 or later.

According to Mr. Niederkorn, a correspondent in the Gironde department, Inaero is currently a team of seven. One of the founders, David Pincet, is a former military fighter pilot who spent a long time at the Civil Security Agency and served as the national head of the firefighting aircraft fleet. He says that the realization of the necessity and challenges of updating these aircraft was the starting point for starting the business. The other three co-founders also come from the aviation industry, and Mr. Niederkorn explains that they are working closely with Canadair pilots and ground firefighters to reflect their experience and needs in the design.

The new Fregat F100 retains a family resemblance to the existing Canadair but has a slimmer airframe. The wingspan is about 35 meters, which is about 20% larger than the Canadair. It remains an amphibious aircraft that can land on water to refill and use retractable wheels to land on paved roads. This increase in size and modern design brings two advantages. First, it is 40% faster than the Canadair, with a speed of about 500 kilometers per hour. Second, it can carry 10 tons of water compared to the Canadair's 6 tons. According to Mr. Pincet, for a fire of the same size, the Fregat 100 is expected to extinguish the fire twice as fast, and can drop at least 100 tons of water in the first hour.

The average age of active Canadair aircraft is 30 years, but the design itself dates back more than 50 years, with its first flight in 1967. While acknowledging that the Canadair is a celebrated aircraft, Mr. Niederkorn describes it as an 'old junker' today. In contrast, Inaero's aircraft is a new-generation machine that incorporates the latest aviation technology, such as electric flight controls (a system that controls flight surfaces via electrical signals). Particularly important is the 'Air-Ground Mission System'; while current Canadair pilots work in the traditional way using visual and audio cues, this aircraft is equipped with screens that provide a panoramic view of the situation on the ground and in the air, offering much greater modernity, comfort, and safety.

Expanding niche market and relocation of the base

It is estimated that about 160 Canadair aircraft are still in operation worldwide. Europe has ordered 22 firefighting aircraft from the de Havilland Group for 600 million dollars (about 97.4 billion yen, calculated at 1 dollar = 162.39 yen), and the first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2028.

Mr. Niederkorn points out that although it is a niche market, it is an important and growing one. One reason is the aging of the fleet already mentioned, with about 170 Canadair aircraft worldwide needing replacement. Another is the risk associated with global warming; 'mega-fires,' which were once seen only in North America and Australia, are now arriving in Greece, Portugal, and France. The primary means of dealing with these fires on a large scale and quickly is the firefighting aircraft. Mr. Niederkorn reports that the company says at least 300 aircraft are expected to be needed between 2030 and 2050, and while this was Inaero's conservative estimate, actual demand will likely exceed it.

The founders of Inaero are showing confidence, but the remaining challenge is convincing investors. Mr. Pincet explains that 100 million euros (approx. 18.6 billion yen; calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen) are needed in 2026, 250 million euros (approx. 46.4 billion yen; calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen) in 2027, and a total of 600 million euros will be required by the first delivery in 2031. During the Paris Air Show (Le Bourget), they secured 70 million euros (approx. 13 billion yen; calculated at 1 euro = 185.77 yen) in subsidies from the France 2030 fund and the Southern Region.

According to Mr. Niederkorn, this has also influenced the company's location. The company, which had previously been housed in an aviation incubator facility in Mérignac, is moving to Istres, near Marseille. The reasons are the subsidies received from the Southern Region, the proximity to an area suitable for aircraft manufacturing, and the fact that the land in Istres is easier to develop than the land they were able to secure in Mérignac. The company is currently in a new fundraising phase and says it may hire more engineers.

Will the next Canadair be French-made and designed near Bordeaux? The conclusion of this episode is that it is still too early to say.

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