One of the Romanian Air Force’s C-27Js will be the first aircraft in Europe to use an innovative firefighting system. In the several past weeks, Alenia Aermacchi conducted intense operating and training tests on the aircraft, which included the new firefighting system onboard.

Alenia Aermacchi recently completed an experimental campaign in a Romanian mountain range with a C-27J that operates with the Fortele Aeriene Române —the Romanian Air Force. The objective of the campaign was to test the innovative firefighting system called Caylym Guardian. The system allows C-27Js to drop up to six large cardboard containers on bushfires; each container has a capacity of 1,000 litres water or extinguishing liquid.

The system allows for a quick, accurate and innovative way to fight bushfires. Using the C27J’s system of in-flight drop, the Guardian guarantees extreme precision of the drop and creates a retardant liquid cloud well focused on the target. Containers are biodegradable but they can also be recovered by ground firefighters.