China uses military drones, heavy-lift and C909 planes in huge forest fire drill
Firefighters used military drones, heavy transport aircraft and seaplanes in a large-scale drill in southwest China on Monday, as part of efforts to bring the latest technologies into emergency response operations. The exercise involved more than 1,600 personnel and over 40 aircraft and simulated a major forest fire in a high-altitude mountainous region of Chongqing, state broadcaster CCTV…
On Monday, China conducted a large-scale forest fire drill in southwest Chongqing, utilizing military drones, heavy-lift aircraft, and seaplanes to integrate advanced technologies into emergency response operations. Over 1,600 personnel participated in the exercise, which involved more than 40 aircraft, including the Wing Loong II and Twin-Tailed Scorpion drones, employed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Both drones possess long endurance, high-resolution sensors, and can operate at altitudes up to 8,000 meters. The Soviet-designed Il-76 heavy transport aircraft and C909 regional passenger aircraft, in firefighting variant, also contributed to the drill. The drill aimed to test coordination between ground and aerial forces, manned and unmanned aircraft, and fixed-wing planes and helicopters, particularly in remote mountainous terrain.
The primary objective was to prepare firefighters for the increasing frequency of wildfires due to extreme heatwaves and the limited firefighting capacity in such regions. The drill also served as a test for the integration of emerging technologies into emergency response operations, highlighting China's efforts to strengthen its emergency response capabilities following recent destructive wildfires.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
