AERIAL FIREFIGHTING
AUSTRALIAN FIRST:
NATIONAL LARGE AIR TANKER Australia’s aerial firefighting capability has been taken to new heights with the addition of a national Large Air Tanker, available to all Australian states and territories as needed.
30
FIRE AUSTRALIA
ISSUE ONE 2022
MOLLY PRICE AFAC
On 23 December 2021, Australia welcomed its new national Large Air Tanker (LAT), to help strengthen the resilience of Australian communities against bushfires. It is the first nationally leased aerial firefighting asset for Australia, allowing the LAT to move around the country and be made available for all states and territories to use. The aircraft is funded by the Australian Government, through a partnership with the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC). It is available Australia-wide as needed and is being supported by WA at the Busselton airbase. If required, the aircraft can be moved to a longer-term deployment to other airbases. The LAT was flown in from California via Fiji and touched down in Australia at
