The Canadian federal government announced on Friday that it is selling 10 retired CC-130H Hercules aircraft to Coulson Aviation, a company based in British Columbia. Coulson Aviation will modify these aircraft into firefighting planes as part of a project that involves a fleet of 12 planes retired by the Royal Canadian Air Force earlier this year. The remaining two Hercules aircraft will be preserved for public display at various bases and museums.
The conditional sale of these retired aircraft was disclosed by Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr at an event in Abbotsford, B.C., coinciding with an international air show. Fuhr described the sale as a top-tier divestment initiative that will provide a new purpose for these military assets.
The sale aims to address the growing global demand for firefighting resources due to the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires. Coulson Aviation’s CEO, Wayne Coulson, expressed confidence that the company will have the first converted aircraft ready for the upcoming wildfire season. The conversion process will be conducted at Coulson Aviation’s expense, with plans to offer firefighting services under contract to various governments.
The C-130H Hercules aircraft, previously essential for military airlift operations, will be transformed into large tankers capable of carrying significant amounts of retardant for firefighting missions worldwide. Each aircraft conversion is estimated to require approximately 20,000 hours of work.
Both Coulson Aviation and the government have chosen not to disclose the total sale price, citing confidentiality under the commercial agreement. Ottawa’s decision to sell these retired military assets is part of its standard practice to manage obsolete equipment, with plans to decommission the remaining Victoria-class submarines in the near future.