Heavy water-bombing helicopter · For hire
Super Puma: the heavy water-bombing helicopter
Code Puma : 4,000 litres per drop, 10 to 14 sorties per hour — and, above all, the ability to continue operations when aircraft are grounded. Chartered every summer by the Civil Protection Service, it is the only French aircraft capable of carrying out night-time drops.
Key points
- Approximately 6 Super Puma helicopters are leased every summer — from 15 June to 15 September, with Airbus — since 2020.
- Up to 4,000 litres per drop and a rate of 10 to 14 drops per hour by drawing water as close to the fire as possible.
- The only aerial means capable of to drop off at night, when Canadair and Dash are grounded.
- Flexible water supply: water tank, natural water source or freestanding swimming pool brought to the site using a 120-metre sling.
- The Senate recommends switching from renting todirect purchase via RescEU — The aircraft are manufactured by Airbus in Marignane.
From military transport to firefighting
The Puma family was first developed in the 1960s as a military transport helicopter. The original SA330 Puma gave rise to increasingly capable variants: theAS332 Super Puma, followed by the AS532 Cougar. Sturdy, powerful and reliable, these helicopters are manufactured by Airbus Helicopters on its assembly line at Marignane, near Marseille.
Their use as water bombers only became widespread in France relatively late. For a long time, the country remained faithful to its the ‘any aircraft’ doctrine, the country initially observed its southern neighbours — Spain, Italy and Greece — deploying heavy helicopters on a massive scale. It was from 2020 that the Civil Protection Agency uses them under hire agreements. The massive wildfires of 2022 confirmed their value, and the debate has shifted: should we continue to hire them, or should we buy them?
The origins and development of the Puma family: the SA330 Puma, followed by the AS332 Super Puma.
The Civil Protection Agency is starting to lease Super Puma helicopters to use as heavy water-bombing helicopters.
During major wildfires, Super Puma helicopters are pre-positioned (notably in Perpignan) to provide additional support to the south.
The European RescEU programme plans to fund three heavy water-bombing helicopters for France, Poland and Romania.
Six aircraft leased from Airbus for the season, from 15 June to 15 September; the Senate is calling for the airline to purchase its own fleet.
Anatomy of a heavy water-bombing helicopter
A 4,000-litre tank
The Super Puma carries its water load in a ventral reservoir or a large flexible bucket. With a capacity of 4,000 litres per drop, it delivers nearly two-thirds of a Canadair’s payload — but with unrivalled manoeuvrability.
A 120-metre sling
His long sling allows him to to draw and release from a distance, without being directly exposed to the flames or thermal turbulence. It is also thanks to this that it can lift heavy loads outside the main season.
Two powerful turbo engines
The powerful motor gives the appliance the load capacity required to lift its 4,000 litres, and the fuel reserve essential for operating at high altitude and in high temperatures.
A transport cabin
Beyond its firefighting capabilities, the Super Puma remains a transport helicopter: it can carry up to eight people and heavy equipment, where land-based vehicles would need to make more trips.
Night airdrops: the window of opportunity that aircraft cannot seize
Whilst every aircraft has its own speciality, the Super Puma’s can be summed up in one word: the continuity. A forest fire does not go out at sunset. But conventional aerial firefighting does come to a halt: scooping up water and dropping it at high speed requires perfect visibility, which is impossible in the dark. For hours, the fire then spreads unchecked, with no opposition from the air.
The Super Puma is a game-changer. The only aircraft capable of carrying out night-time drops, it maintains the hydraulic pressure on the firebox when the aircraft are on the ground. It then continues 10 to 14 drops per hour, drawing water from the nearest water source, and making the most of the night-time window — when the wind is light and temperatures are low — which is often the most favourable time to push back a fire.
A helicopter that can be used all year round
Unlike specialist water-bombing aircraft, the Super Puma is not a seasonal aircraft. Its payload capacity and versatility mean it can be deployed all year round:
- Rescue in hazardous environments : mountain or sea rescue ;
- Operational transport : deployment of teams from fire brigade and heavy equipment to areas that are difficult to access ;
- Heavy labour : clearing fallen trees and bulky items to clear the roads after a storm ;
- Support for networks : unrolling cables to restore power or telephone lines.
This versatility is precisely one of the reasons why it’s worth buying one of your own: a piece of equipment that can be used all year round is better value for money than a three-month hire.
Detailed technical specifications
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters (Marignane assembly line) |
|---|---|
| Family | Puma (AS332 Super Puma) |
| Type | Heavy water-bombing helicopter (HBE L) |
| Legal status in France | Leased as a summer reinforcement since 2020 (from 15 June to 15 September, from Airbus in 2026) |
| Number | Around 6 aircraft per season |
| Engine | 2 turbo engines |
| Drop capacity | Up to 4,000 litres of water |
| Cadence | 10 to 14 drops per hour |
| Length of sling | ≈ 120 metres |
| Carrying capacity | Up to 8 people + equipment |
| Night flight | Yes — the only aircraft capable of carrying out night-time drops |
| Purchase price (estimated) | ≈ 25 million euros (source: Airbus) |
| Radio call sign | Puma |
Heavy-duty reinforcement that has become a structural element
The Civil Protection Agency rents out property every summer around six heavy ‘Puma’ water-bombing helicopters, in addition to the four light helicopters “Condor” and the fleet of Dragon. Taken together, the water-bombing helicopters have carried out several thousand drops per summer in recent seasons.
The Super Puma occupies the top of the helicopter-borne spectrum : maximum capacity, high operational rate, night-time flights, versatility. However, its continued presence relies on leasing — a model that Parliament now considers ‘structural’, meaning it has become permanent despite its theoretically temporary nature. Hence a strong recommendation from the Senate: to purchase these helicopters outright, via the European mechanism RescEU, which provides for the funding of three heavy helicopters for France, Poland and Romania.
There are three main arguments in favour of this: an aircraft owned by the organisation would be flown by Civil Protection crews (ensuring better integration into the system), it could be used all year round, and its purchase would support industrial employment in Marignane — Airbus has indicated that nearly 1,500 jobs would be at risk due to a lack of sufficient activity on the Super Puma programme. As a sign of how the risk has spread, the aircraft was even tested as early as 2021 in departments that had previously been spared from major wildfires, such as Corrèze.
Super Puma or Condor? The heavyweight versus the lightweight
Both are chartered water-bombing helicopters, but they are in different leagues: one prioritises power, the other responsiveness.
Super Puma (heavy HBE)
- Heavy-lift helicopter, ≈ 6 chartered in the summer
- Capacity: up to 4,000 litres per drop
- 10 to 14 drops per hour
- Capable of dropping payloads at night
- Ideal for : large volumes, fixed lighting
Condor (Mild HBE)
- Light helicopter, 4 available for hire in the summer
- Capacity: ≈ 1,000 L per drop
- Very fast and easy to handle
- Refilling at any water source
- Ideal for : spreading fires, difficult terrain
Frequently Asked Questions about the Super Puma
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