Hynaero partners with Airbus to develop amphibious firefighting aircraft
March 17, 2025
Bordeaux-based amphibious aircraft developer Hynaero has signed a strategic partnership with Airbus Defense and Space to develop its Fregate-F100 waterbomber aircraft, although no timeline has yet been specified for a concept which is currently purely digital.
The Fregate-F100 amphibious aerial firefighter concept conceived by Hynaero looks to “bring a leap in capacity,” explained the startup, which aims to offer a payload of ten tonnes of water with its twin-engine, fixed-wing platform. The aircraft is targeting a cruising speed of more than 250kts with more than four hours of flight range, offering a mission time of two and a half hours up to 400km from its base. It will pursue EASA CS-25 (large aircraft) type certification.
“An essential and major project, the Fregate-F100 secures European and French sovereignty over aerial forest firefighting capability,” added Hynaero. “With enhanced operational capacity, this aircraft is part of the dynamic of renewing aging fleets and equipping accession countries.”
Jean-Brice Dumont, executive vice president, director of air power at Airbus Defense and Space, believes the Fregate programme “meets current challenges to complete the range of firefighting capabilities offered by Airbus with its aircraft, helicopters and satellites,” with the F100 a “very promising project for the development of a modern and high-performance aircraft for direct attack on fires”.
Founding partner and president of Hynaero David Pincet said Airbus’ involvement in the programme was “a sign of our seriousness and realism;” something bringing “a lot of credibility to the Fregate-100 programme”.
France has suffered elevated numbers of wildfires in recent years, with France’s Direction Générale de l’armement (DGA) ordering two De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC) DHC-515 aircraft last August. “For decades, the Canadair aircraft have been the backbone of the French firefighting fleet,” explained DHC vice president of programmes and business improvement Jean- -Philippe Côté. However, despite the DHC-515’s proven prowess, Hynaero hopes to present “a major opportunity for the European aeronautics industry and partner countries, with the creation of more than 2,500 jobs spread between the final assembly plant and supply chain stakeholders”.
