The Hellenic Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection has signed a contract to purchase eight Airbus H215 Super Puma helicopters, along with an option for two more. Under a government-owned, contractor-operated model, Airbus and H215 firefighting operators Airtelis and SAF Hélicoptères will partner to provide technical and operational support.
Funding for the purchase is provided by two European funds and the tender was managed by the Project Preparation Facility of Growthfund (the National Fund of Greece) on behalf of the ministry.
The Hellenic Fire Brigade operates two Super Pumas, and the Hellenic Air Force operates 12. With a range of 540 nm and capable of carrying 19 firefighters, a water bucket, or a belly tank, the H215 can conduct firefighting operations at night, thanks to its four-axis autopilot.
“The signing of the contract for the purchase of new H215 helicopters represents an important step in our efforts to mitigate the devastating consequences of the climate crisis in our country,” said Panagiotis Stampoulidis, deputy CEO of Growthfund. “This is the largest contract signed under the Aegis National Programme to bolster the civil protection mechanism in Greece with modern equipment, and we are delighted that the Project Preparation Facility of Growthfund swiftly concluded this tender with transparency and efficiency.”