Cyprus expands aerial firefighting fleet for 2026 season

For the 2026 fire season, running from April 1 to October 31, the Republic of Cyprus has assembled a fleet of 14 aircraft to combat wildfires. This fleet consists of 11 operational units, including state-owned and leased aircraft such as Air Tractor planes and Black Hawk helicopters. The deployment includes two aircraft from Jordan based at Larnaca Airport and a British Chinook helicopter stationed at Akrotiri. Most of the fleet is positioned at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base near Paphos, which also serves as a new EU regional firefighting hub. The government is currently acquiring its own Air Tractor units, with the first expected in May and two more planned for future years. During major incidents, a National Guard AW139 helicopter will serve as an aerial coordination center to manage water drops and flight safety. The regional firefighting center will be officially inaugurated during an informal EU leaders' summit scheduled for April 23-24. These combined efforts aim to provide the highest level of emergency readiness seen in recent years.