The U.S. Forest Service (USFC) and Coulson Aviation have agreed upon a ten-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity Large Airtanker (LAT) firefighting contract, with a value of US$7.2 billion (£5.67 billion). The agreement will provide the basis for operations and maintenance service for Coulson's C-130H Hercules and Boeing 737 FireLiner™ aircraft.
“Coulson is honoured to continue to provide our services in support of the U.S. Forest Service. Our crew members are incredibly skilled, efficient, and operate aircraft second to none,” said Britton Coulson, President and COO, Coulson Aviation. “We have over 60 years of experience with aerial support operations and look forward to being a part of the group selected by the USFS to aid fire suppression in the years ahead.”
Currently, Coulson Aviation operates the largest fleet of civilian Lockheed C-130H aircraft worldwide, while also expanding its Boeing 737 fleet. It is the first and sole company to convert a Boeing 737 commercial airliner into a FireLiner™ airtanker. Each tanker requires more than 40,000 technician hours to become fully compliant and operational. The FireLiner™ differs from all other next-generation LATs through its ability to transport firefighters without re-configuration and to fly at maximum speeds and altitudes with a load of retardant without restrictions.
The C-130H has been a leading attack aircraft in Coulson Aviation aerial firefighting missions through its ability to employ makeshift runways for take-offs and landings while offering a temporary infrastructure base onboard the aircraft. Each aircraft platform is equipped with Coulson's Retardant Aerial Delivery System (RADS), a powerful weapon for any aerial firefighting arsenal. Coulson's RADS products are the most widely used, highest-volume, 4,000 USG tanking systems currently operating around the globe. In addition, Coulson's RADS requires no additional crew or equipment, provides real-time flow rate and superior drop zone coverage.
