The Canadian government has agreed to sell 10 retired CC-130H Hercules aircraft to British Columbia-based Coulson Aviation, which plans to convert the former military transports into aerial firefighting aircraft.
The conditional sale was announced during the Abbotsford International Airshow, several months after the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) retired its fleet of 12 CC-130Hs. The remaining two aircraft will be preserved for display at military bases and museums.
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Coulson said it intends to convert, maintain and operate the aircraft at its own expense before offering them to governments under firefighting contracts in Canada and abroad. The company expects the first converted Hercules could enter service in time for the 2027 wildfire season, although only one or two aircraft are likely to be completed initially.
The conversions will take place primarily in Port Alberni, British Columbia, with additional work potentially carried out in Abbotsford and Kelowna. Each aircraft is expected to require about 20,000 labor hours before entering service as a large air tanker capable of carrying thousands of liters of fire retardant.
Neither the Canadian government nor Coulson disclosed the value of the transaction.
The CC-130H served for decades as one of the Royal Canadian Air Force's principal tactical airlifters, supporting cargo and troop transport, search-and-rescue missions and aerial refueling. Canada has replaced the fleet with newer CC-130J Hercules aircraft.
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The sale comes as Canada and several other countries continue to face increasing demand for aerial firefighting assets amid more frequent and intense wildfire seasons. More than 4,500 wildfires have been recorded across Canada so far this year, according to government data.
