European startups race to build next-gen water-bombers amid soaring wildfire threat

Following the burning of almost 500,000 hectares of land across Europe this year, a cluster of start-ups is converting obsolete turboprop aircraft into modern water-scooping bombers to replace the aging Canadair fleet. In Toulouse, former Airbus engineer Jonathan Beck’s Positive Aviation uses a stripped-down ATR-72 to demonstrate a system that can hold eight tons of water, while nearby Kepplair plans a ground-loaded tanker version of the same airframe.

Other ventures such as France’s HYNAERO, Italy’s 19-01 Holding and Belgium’s Seagle project propose purpose-built amphibious planes, with development costs ranging from tens of millions to over a billion dollars. Funding, certification and factory build-out remain major hurdles, and the revived Canadair DHC-515, delayed to 2028, adds competition. Industry insiders warn that without sustained political and media focus, progress could stall, even as governments debate firefighting capacity.