Saskatchewan buys Dash-8 airtankers

The Public Safety Agency of the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan has announced that it will spend around CAD187 million to buy four repurposed planes: two Dash 8-Q400AT models and two Dash 8-Q400MRE models.

The Dash 8-Q400AT is a dedicated airtanker while the Dash 8-Q400MRE has a dual role; the MRE (Multi Role Emergency) model is not only an airtanker, it can also be used as an emergency transport/flying ambulance for air evacuations, patient transport and cargo hauling.

The first of the four planes is expected to arrive in late summer of 2025, with the remaining three arriving by the end of 2027. They are meant to replace the current fleet of Convair 580s, which are approaching the end of their useful lifespan in 2027.

Both models have increased capacity over their predecessors, producing 30 per cent less emissions than similar sized air tankers.

The lifespan of the new aircraft is an estimated 25 years. The first of the four units is expected to arrive in late summer of 2025 with the remaining three arriving by the end of 2027.

Conair Aerial Firefighting will convert two of the four planes into emergency response aircraft.

Photo: Dave Soderstrom on AirHistory.net