The UK government has announced that RAF Chinook helicopters and A400M Atlas transport aircraft will be equipped for aerial wildfire response, creating a new defence-supported capability for fires in remote or difficult terrain.
The aircraft will be available when requested by civil authorities, according to the government announcement. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the aircraft would receive specialist firefighting equipment so they could tackle wildfires from the air.
The announcement does not specify how many Chinooks or A400Ms will be modified, identify the equipment supplier or state when the aircraft will enter the firefighting role. It describes the aircraft as ready to assist rather than reporting a new operational deployment.
The decision reverses the position reported by the UK Defence Journal, which said a defence minister had ruled out adapting the RAF’s A400M fleet six weeks earlier. That report also said civil fire and rescue services would continue to request military support through the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities process.
The broader package includes up to £45 million for additional specialist wildfire teams and lighter personal protective equipment for firefighters in England. The government also plans to invest £25 million in restoring dried-out peatlands and support farmers with measures such as ponds and the removal of combustible material in high-risk areas.
The government said a Wildfires AI Unit will be established within COBR’s National Situation Centre, alongside work with the Met Office on wildfire forecasting and development of England’s first Wildfire Action Plan. These measures provide prevention and coordination context, but the aircraft announcement itself contains no documented procurement value, delivery date or acceptance milestone.