Coulson Aviation, the operator of large airtankers, announced on April 11 the expansion of its C-130H Hercules fleet to 10 aircraft for aerial firefighting, following the acquisition of four aircraft from the New Zealand Defence Force.
The aircraft will be re-located to Coulson’s base in Thermal, California, where they will undergo a full conversion and modernization process.
Each will be equipped with Coulson’s proprietary RADS-XXL tank system, the high-capacity, high-flow-rate aerial firefighting tank, designed to enable precision drops of up to 4,000 gallons. Once converted, the aircraft will expand Coulson’s global response capabilities, supporting firefighting missions worldwide.
Britt Coulson, President and COO of Coulson Aviation USA shared: “This acquisition represents another major milestone for Coulson Aviation and the future of aerial firefighting.
“These aircraft continue to enhance our ability to respond rapidly and effectively to wildfires around the world—saving lives, protecting communities, and safeguarding critical natural and economic resources.
“With the four additional C-130Hs in our fleet, we’re reaffirming our commitment to lead the industry with the most capable, high-performance large airtankers in the world.”
Coulson will begin conversions later this year in close coordination with the FAA. As part of Coulson’s vertically integrated approach, spanning aircraft acquisition, engineering, modification, operations and maintenance, the entire process will be completed in-house.
This model allows for rapid deployment and tailored solutions to meet the evolving demands of wildfire suppression around the globe.
Coulson continued: “We have all observed the trend of increasingly intense and destructive fires over the past few years, beginning with Lahaina, Maui in 2023, followed by Malibu, California in 2024/2025.
“On days marked by extreme fire behavior, it’s the large assets like the C-130s and CH-47s that can truly make a difference.”
The newly acquired C-130Hs, formerly operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, have a proud operational history, having flown missions from Antarctica to Afghanistan.
Now, they will carry that legacy forward in a new role–protecting communities, infrastructure and natural resources from the growing threat of wildfires.
Coulson Aviation USA has announced the addition of the 10 C-130H aircraft to its airtanker fleet, following the acquisition of four aircraft from the New Zealand Defence Force.
