Cyprus achieves record airborne firefighting capability

Cyprus now has the most airborne firefighting means at its disposal than at any other time, and plans to become self-sufficient in this area in the coming years, the minister of agriculture stated on Thursday.

Maria Panayiotou was commenting on the issue after the recent arrival of two Black Hawk helicopters leased from Slovakia.

At the moment, she said, Cyprus avails of 11 primary airborne means – four helicopters and seven airplanes. In addition, it can deploy up to another six helicopters as backup – two of the National Guard, two of the police, and two of the British bases.

The backup helicopers are manned by the departments to which they belong. The Department of Forests staffs the one airplane owned by the state, while the second airplane is undergoing repairs; the other ten primary aircraft are either being leased or provided to Cyprus via inter-state agreements along with their crews – the pilots and mechanics.

But the aim, said the minister, is for Cyprus to acquire ten self-owned airborne means over the next years – so that it doesn’t have to rely on leases.

To that end, the Department of Forests has been instructed to start hiring more pilots.

Asked whether the firefighting means are considered adequate, Panayiotou said the various departments affirm that “we now have operational readiness. What that signifies is that with the means you possess you have a response time [to fires] that leads to a positive result.”

The minister even claimed the Department of Forests boasts one of the best response times across Europe.

Giving more details, Panayiotou said the two self-owned airplanes of the Department of Forests had been purchased in 2006 and 2009. The older airplane is now undergoing repairs. The government intends to purchase at least another three airborne means next year – assuming the market allows.

“It is a market with a great deal of demand and limited supply,” she explained.

Until such time as Cyprus acquires a fully self-owned firefighting fleet, there will be a transitional period when needs will be fulfilled by leasing.

Importantly, the latest lease agreements signed by the government have a renewal clause.

“One reason for the delay in making [lease] contracts this year, was because new contracts had to be drafted,” said the minister.

“Next year we won’t need to do that – already the processes are locked in, so that we can be ready for the next 3+2 years.”

The leases signed this summer will serve as a “bridge” until the state acquires its own firefighting aircraft.

Another important decision taken by the government is to transfer the self-owned airborne means to the National Guard, since “firefighting is deemed a matter of national security.”