Within the framework of an agreement between the Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection, the entity responsible for organizing fire-fighting measures in that country, and Ilyushin, a Russian aeronautical company, a BE-200ES arrived in the country. Negotiations between Russia and Greece had started in March this year and the agreement was signed in Athens on June 30 last.
Vladimir Artyakov, Deputy General Manager of Rostec, commented: “Aviation has proven highly effective in fighting forest fires. On these flights we will test new methods of collecting and discharging water in extreme hydrometeorological conditions. Rostec is a Russian state-owned company that seeks to promote the development, production and export of high-tech industrial products.
The Be-200ES is the world’s only jet seaplane. It was developed and built by Beriev, and can carry up to 12,000 liters of water or fire retardant or 72 passengers, depending on the configuration. It is powered by two Progress D-436TP engines with 16,000 pounds of thrust each.
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