Helicopters play a vital role in firefighting efforts in Greece, especially during the hot and dry summer months when wildfires are most common. Equipped with large water buckets or tanks, these aircraft are used to perform aerial water drops on hard-to-reach areas, such as mountainous terrain and dense forests, where ground crews may struggle to operate.
The types of firefighting helicopters operating in Greece are:
1.(Super Puma Family)
These medium‑heavy, multitasking helicopters can drop over four tonnes of water, carry up to 19 firefighters, and operate with both water buckets or belly tanks
2.Sikorsky/Erickson S‑64 Skycrane
Greece leases heavy-lift S‑64 Skycrane “Air Crane” helicopters through Erickson Inc. These giants—are valued for their large capacity (approximately 2,600 gallons) and flexibility, such as sea or freshwater snorkel dipping. This makes them particularly effective in steep terrain or rapid urban-interface firefighting.
3.Bell 214 & Bell 214ST
Greece received four Bell 214 BI helicopters from Australia. These medium-lift models added critical aerial capacity during intense fire seasons.
4. Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma & MBB/Kawasaki BK‑117
The Hellenic Fire Service operates a few AS332L1 Super Pumas and BK‑117 observation helicopters, mostly used for surveillance, coordination, and tactical support rather than primary water-dropping duties.
