Three new aircraft are being delivered today to the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection to be added to the Fire Brigade’s fleet. They are Diamond 62 MPP aircraft, which will operate as airborne operations centers, surveillance, and data recording units using electro-optical systems and satellite communications.

With the acquisition of these 3 new DIAMOND 62 MPP aircraft, Greece significantly upgrades its capabilities in the fields of prevention and control, not only of forest fires but also of other activities of the country’s Civil Protection Mechanism. This project is being implemented under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0,” funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

Features of the Diamond 62 MPP

They are equipped with state-of-the-art electro-optical systems and, through their optical, thermal, and infrared sensors, can operate as Airborne Operations Centers, Surveillance, and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) data recording, assisting in operations such as monitoring forest areas, border surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions.

Their technical and operational characteristics provide the ability for:

• Flight range that can exceed 1500 km under certain conditions.
• Flight autonomy over 7 hours, allowing long duration presence in operational areas.
• Minimal fuel consumption, contributing to environmental protection. For comparison, a medium helicopter consumes about 600 liters of fuel per hour, and a small 19-seat aircraft consumes about 700 liters per hour. The DIAMOND 62 MPP consumes about 40 liters per hour.

Equally important is the operating and maintenance cost of this aircraft. While the hourly flight cost for various aerial vehicles starts at €2,000-3,000 and can exceed €10,000, the cost per flight hour for this aircraft ranges between €500-700.

This acquisition thus adds significant value to the Fire Brigade and the Ministry of Civil Protection, as the aircraft’s data transmission capability to the Ministry’s operations center provides an accurate (real-time) picture from the field, greatly assisting decision-making by the Ministry’s leadership and the Fire Brigade.