Aerial Firefighting Company Now Operates 10 Airtankers

Coulson Aviation, operator of the largest fleet of firefighting air tanker aircraft, announced it has acquired four C-130H aircraft from the New Zealand Defense Force to expand its fleet to 10 aircraft. The aircraft will be relocated to the Coulson base in Thermal, California, for the conversion and modernization process.

The conversion includes retrofitting the aircraft with Coulson’s proprietary RADS-XXL tank system, with the world’s highest-capacity, highest-flow-rate aerial firefighting tank that enables precision drops of up to 4,000 gallons.

Following the conversion, the aircraft will expand Coulson’s response capabilities and support firefighting missions globally. The conversions will begin later this year in conjunction with the FAA. Then entire process will be done in-house under Coulson’s vertically integrated approach, including engineering, modification, operations, and maintenance. This ensures rapid completion and deployment with tailored solutions to meet the demands of wildfire suppression around the world.

Britton Coulson, President and COO of Coulson Aviation USA said, “This acquisition represents another major milestone for Coulson Aviation and the future of aerial firefighting. These aircraft continue to enhance our ability to respond rapidly and effectively to wildfires around the world—saving lives, protecting communities, and safeguarding critical natural and economic resources.

“With the four additional C-130Hs in our fleet, we’re reaffirming our commitment to lead the industry with the most capable, high-performance large airtankers in the world.”

He added, “We have all observed the trend of increasingly intense and destructive fires over the past few years, beginning with Lahaina, Maui in 2023, followed by Malibu, California in 2024/2025. On days marked by extreme fire behavior, it’s the large assets like the C-130s and CH-47s that can truly make a difference.”

FMI:  www.coulsonaviationusa.com/