Aramco orders Leonardo firefighter aircraft

Saudio Aramco has ordered two C-27J aircraft from Leonardo to respond to firefighting and other requirements in Saudi Arabia

Mukamalah Aviation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aramco, operating under the brand name ‘Aloula Aviation,’ will operate the C-27Js and also act as service centre.

Deliveries are expected starting from 2027.

The multi-mission and firefighter aircraft will be used for cargo transport, firefighting, oil spill response and medical evacuation operations in the kingdom.

The order builds on a longstanding partnership between Leonardo and Aramco in the helicopter segment in support of the energy sector.

“Aloula Aviation is the 20th C-27J operator, and Leonardo records 95 aircraft ordered,” said Leonardo in a statement.

“This latest achievement marks the first order from a civil operator for the C-27J in a multi-mission and firefighter configuration, following initial success in other markets as well as the entrance of this model in the Middle East.”

It said the order provides further evidence of the aircraft’s versatility, uniquely combining cargo transport and firefighting and disaster response capabilities with a high level of customisation.

The C-27J is able to operate even at low altitudes and in unfavourable weather conditions.

Agile, manoeuvrable and fast with a maximum cruising speed of 325 knots (602 Km/h) and equipped with cutting-edge digital avionics, it is able to perform Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) on short or semi-prepared runways near the sites of intervention.

“It can quickly reach and operate optimally where and when other firefighting vehicles traveling by air or land cannot operate, including isolated locations and places where water is scarce or the sea is too rough for ‘scooper’ type aircraft,” the statement noted.

It added: “With the C-27J Next Generation Fire Fighter, Leonardo offers an innovative, high-tech solution for firefighting and disaster response, providing a turboprop airplane able to work with other fixed and rotary wings assets.”

The C-27J incorporates Leonardo’s second-generation MAFFS II (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System), a ‘roll-on/roll off’ transportable module that can be loaded and unloaded as required in only 90 minutes.

The module consists of a 7,500-litre tank that can be refilled on the ground with water and retardant liquid in under 10 minutes.

At an average speed of 130 knots (250 Km/h), a pressurised jet of water mixed with fire-retardant liquid can cover a large amount of ground with each drop.

Its range can be adjusted, allowing the crew to adapt the profile of the mission to the specific conditions of each fire and the orography of the terrain.

Headquartered in Dammam, Aloula Aviation operates 55 aircraft of different types based in hangars across a number of key locations in support of Aramco’s operations.

The company is also an authorised service centre for Leonardo’s AW109 and AW139 helicopters.