Canada sells retired Hercules planes for wildfire use

Canada has conditionally sold 10 retired CC-130H Hercules aircraft to Coulson Aviation for conversion into aerial firefighting planes.

The sale is being handled through GCMil, the Public Services and Procurement Canada group that disposes of surplus military equipment on behalf of the Department of National Defence.

The aircraft come from a fleet of 12 CC-130H Hercules retired by the Royal Canadian Air Force in January 2026. The remaining two of the retired aircraft will instead go on public display at bases and museums at unspecified locations within Canada.

The transaction remains subject to contractual arrangements and Transport Canada approval before the aircraft can be certified for civil use. Officials did not disclose the sale price or bid details, saying the information is confidential.

Coulson, a family-owned aviation business based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, plans to convert, maintain and operate the aircraft for wildfire response work. It already conducts aerial firefighting operations in North America, Australia and South America.

Government details show each aircraft will require about 20,000 labour hours to be converted into a large air tanker.

The sale comes as Canada faces more severe wildfire seasons, increasing demand for specialist aircraft that can support suppression efforts across large and remote areas. Reassigning retired military aircraft to civil emergency use offers one way to expand that fleet more quickly than building new platforms.

Firefighting details

Secretary of State (Defence Procurement) Stephen Fuhr said the project is intended to preserve the value of public investment in the Hercules fleet by giving the aircraft a second operational life rather than leaving them in storage. He added that the winning bid was chosen after a detailed evaluation process that considered both the public interest and practical issues around ownership transfer and compliance.

The Hercules has long been used by air forces around the world in transport and support roles, and its large airframe has made it a candidate for adaptation to firefighting work. Coulson plans to equip the aircraft with its Retardant Aerial Delivery System as part of the conversion into large air tankers.

Ministers presented the transaction as both an asset disposal and an industrial project tied to Canada's growing need for wildfire response aircraft. The conversion program is also expected to involve other aerospace companies in British Columbia as demand and production schedules require.

Those companies could include Cascade Aerospace and Kelowna Flightcraft, both identified as long-standing industry partners. The work could support skilled aerospace jobs in the province.

Officials said the retired military aircraft drew significant interest because of their remaining service life and suitability for conversion. Offers were assessed on proposed end use, alignment with the public interest, logistics, custodial cost efficiencies, regulatory compliance and overall value to Canada.

Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, described the sale as part of a broader effort to retain public value from retired assets while addressing emergency response needs.

"Canadians rely on strong wildfire and emergency response capabilities to help protect communities across the country. The conditional sale of these retired Hercules aircraft to a Canadian company with world‑class expertise, we are ensuring that valuable military assets continue to serve Canadians."