Aerial Assets for Crisis Management
The strengthening and modernization of the country’s aerial fleet through Action 16911 of “Greece 2.0” constitutes a strategic investment in effective crisis management, aimed at protecting human life, property, and the environment, as well as safeguarding critical infrastructure.
This Action includes the procurement of a range of modern aerial assets that are not limited to a single mission, but instead cover a broad spectrum of operations: from search and rescue to personnel transport, aerial surveillance, forest firefighting support, and medical missions.
Through the acquisition of these new assets, as well as the modernization of existing ones, the National Civil Protection Mechanism is gaining stronger preventive and operational capacity in the face of the challenges posed by the climate crisis.
Procurement of Two (2) Medium-Type Firefighting Helicopters
With this project, the country is acquiring two new, state-of-the-art H215 firefighting helicopters, as part of a broader procurement concerning a total of eight helicopters, co-financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the European Regional Development Fund through the Sectoral Programme “Civil Protection” (ESPA 2021–2027).
The two H215s financed through “Greece 2.0” are the first to be delivered and integrated into the aerial operational fleet of the Fire Service, with the aim of covering operational needs in aerial firefighting and personnel transport.
The H215 firefighting helicopters are multi-mission aircraft of the Super Puma family and are equipped with a 4-axis autopilot, which allows firefighting missions to be carried out both during the day and at night, ensuring increased accuracy and stability during flight operations.
Their operational range reaches 579 nautical miles, with endurance exceeding two hours of flight. They are equipped with a 3,785-liter water tank and can carry up to 19 persons.
Procurement of One Helicopter for the Transport of the GSCP Incident Management Team and Two Helicopters for Medical Missions
Through these projects, implemented with resources from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, Greece is acquiring three Leonardo AW139 helicopters.
These are medium-type helicopters capable of participating in forest firefighting operations, as they are equipped with a water transport and dropping tank. They also have the capability to transport passengers, carry external loads, and accommodate medical seats or stretchers.
Given the country’s geomorphological characteristics, the multiple uses of these helicopters and their contribution across almost the entire range of operational activities strategically enhance the capabilities of Civil Protection and the Fire Service for the effective response to needs related to natural disaster management and medical missions.
Procurement of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs – Drones) for Aerial Surveillance
Unmanned aircraft are widely used in operational missions, and in recent years their contribution to the work of Civil Protection has been crucial, as they offer significant advantages in both disaster prevention and response.
Among other applications, UAVs/drones equipped with advanced thermal cameras and sensors are used for the surveillance of forest areas, with the aim of enabling the early detection of fires.
In addition, they contribute to the rapid assessment of damage in cases such as earthquakes or floods, as well as to the better coordination of ground forces during incidents and emergency conditions (accidents, severe weather events). They also support search and rescue operations and are used for the transport of small payloads, such as medical supplies to remote areas.
The project includes the procurement of different categories of drones and integrated Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), such as:
- 3 smaller tethered UAS
- 1 multirotor (octocopter) for material transport
- 71 mini multirotors
- 8 mini multirotors for indoor use
Upgrade and Modernization of Two (2) Super Puma Helicopters
Through this project, two Super Puma helicopters, which are already part of the existing fleet of the Fire Service, are being upgraded through the acquisition of new equipment, making them more modern and more versatile.
In particular, the following are being procured:
- 2 hydraulic hoists, used in search and rescue missions, providing the capability to raise and lower persons (Fire Service personnel, patients, etc.) and cargo.
- 2 firefighting tank systems, which will enable the helicopters to participate more effectively in forest firefighting operations.
Budget and Funding
The AIGIS Project has a total budget of €2,077,494,365 dedicated to strengthening Civil Protection.
Funding is allocated across four main intervention pillars:
- 216.101.632€ – Infrastructure and facilities upgrades
- 346.264.004€ – Warning systems and prevention resources
- 193.091.652€ – Equipment and coordination support resources
- 1.322.037.079€ – Operational equipment and response assets
This investment falls primarily under the operational equipment pillar and is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility through the National Plan “Greece 2.0,” with resources from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
