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(southern Spain), and Palma de Mallorca<br />
(western Mediterranean), along with the<br />
rapid response service in Torrejon."<br />
Such is the forest fire menace across<br />
southern Europe that the Spanish Air<br />
Force fire-fighting units regularly fly with<br />
their foreign counterparts. Reyes<br />
explains, "The 43rd Group takes part in<br />
international missions, working with<br />
different nations that own the same kind<br />
of aircraft with the aim of sharing<br />
experiences and working procedures.<br />
"For example, in 2003, the unit<br />
worked alongside the Securité Civile (the<br />
French civilian emergency service tasked<br />
with fighting forest fires) in several<br />
devastating conflagrations in southern<br />
Europe. The 43rd Group flew on those<br />
missions, together with French, Italian,<br />
and Greek units. In September of the<br />
same year, the 43rd Group collaborated<br />
with Portugal, fighting the numerous<br />
forest fires that took place in that<br />
country."<br />
Particularly important to the Spanish<br />
Air Force has been cooperation with<br />
southern Europe's other CL-215 and 415<br />
operators. "In November of 2004," Reyes<br />
continues, "a delegation of the Croatian<br />
Air Force visited the 43rd Group to<br />
become acquainted with the way in<br />
which the Spanish unit is organized<br />
regarding instruction and maintenance.<br />
In December 2004, there was an<br />
exchange with the Greek Air Force, and<br />
an exchange with the Croatian Air Force<br />
in May 2007, in order to continue with<br />
the exchange program of the previous<br />
years. Last summer, the 43rd Group<br />
collaborated with some different<br />
countries, such as Greece, Portugal, and<br />
Italy."<br />
The challenge for the 43rd Group is<br />
that the tempo of firefighting has not<br />
decreased. In recent years, the unit has<br />
found been tasked ever more frequently<br />
to fight conflagrations raging across<br />
Spain and other southern European<br />
countries. For example in 2005, the 43rd<br />
Group performed 125,000 hours of flying<br />
FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT<br />
operation - a huge increase from the<br />
3,000 hours of flying operations<br />
performed in 1979.<br />
While the 43rd Group consistently<br />
has risen to these challenge, their vital<br />
missions have come at a tragic cost.<br />
"Since the creation of the unit," notes<br />
Reyes, there have been "five fatal<br />
crashes, causing fifteen casualties."<br />
While units such as the 43rd Group<br />
and their Croatian and Greek<br />
counterparts may not fly the high-speed,<br />
swept-wing fighters that their air forces<br />
are perhaps better known for, they<br />
nonetheless provide an essential mission,<br />
saving lives, property, and great ranges<br />
of wilderness. Meanwhile, Bombardier<br />
works hard to ensure that their workhorse<br />
aircraft are ready when the fires return<br />
once more after the long, dark winters.<br />
AFTERMARKET OPPORTUNITIES<br />
The rugged construction of the basic 215 design has meant that Bombardier has not had to perform a huge number of<br />
modifications or upgrades, save for the development of the 215T and 415 models. In fact, it is the simplicity of the aircraft's<br />
design that has made it attractive for the fire-fighting role.<br />
That being said, the air forces discussed above are always keen to improve the fire location capabilities of these aircraft.<br />
Therefore, subsystem suppliers may well benefit from future opportunities to outfit these aircraft with equipment such as<br />
specialized electro-optical products that could enable their crews to better locate and identify wildfires.<br />
WWW.ABDONLINE.COM AVIATION AFTERMARKET <strong>DEFENSE</strong> | SPRING 2010<br />
AAD<br />
33<br />
Photo Courtesy Spanish Air Force
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