HynAero plans to open an assembly plant for next-generation Canadair firefighting planes in Provence

The company behind the monumental Fregate-F100 airplane project is advancing with plans to open a manufacturing facility at the Jean Sarrail aeronautics cluster northwest of Marseille

As summer forest fires intensify and cause ever greater damage, a French company is preparing a much-needed response. HynAero is developing the Fregate-F100, a next-generation water bomber presented as the European successor to the renowned Canadair firefighting aircraft. The company’s mission is to establish strategic industrial partnerships and set up an assembly line at the Jean Sarrail aeronautical hub in Istres, outside of Marseille. Approved by the French government with financial support from the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and the France 2030 public investment program, this ambitious project aims to have a prototype ready by 2029. HynAero’s president, David Pincet, discusses this landmark industrial initiative and how Provence Promotion, in synergy with the Region Sud, the Jean Sarrail aeronautical hub, and the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, is helping it get off the ground.

In France, as elsewhere in the world, megafires are becoming more frequent and it is essential to strengthen aerial response capabilities. However, the fleet of Canadair aircraft is ageing and in short supply – there are only 12 in France, and they are not always operational. This means these planes can no longer cope with the proliferation of wildfires linked to climate change. These megafires intensify climate change by releasing carbon and greenhouse gases, so they pose both a critical national security and environmental challenge. With no aircraft of this type having been manufactured anywhere in the world for ten years, the water bomber program developed by HynAero is a welcome strategic response that will protect people and forests while reaffirming France’s industrial and economic sovereignty.

“We want to design an aircraft that is two to five times more efficient than those currently in use. Our R&D studies, validated by the ONERA French Aerospace Lab, have demonstrated the quality and credibility of our approach,” says David Pincet, the President of HynAero. A former fighter pilot and air force general, Pincet has also commanded an air base and held senior positions at NATO and in civil security in Nîmes. Alongside him, a team of five other experienced and passionate experts is driving this bold project, which will involve nearly €1 billion in development costs over six years.

An innovative, sovereign, and competitive French solution

With the ability to drop 10 tons of water — 70% more than aircraft currently in service — as well as increased drop rate and the ability to scoop water from shorter stretches of water, HynAero’s Fregate-F100 promises to respond to fires more quickly and effectively. Designed in consultation with pilots and firefighters, it will also incorporate artificial intelligence to optimize the coordination of firefighting operations. Launched in 2023, the program already has the support of leading partners such as the GIFAS aerospace association and Airbus Defence and Space, whose expertise will be crucial in finalizing the design of the aircraft. An initial €15 million fundraising campaign is underway. The project is receiving a €7 million grant from the France 2030 public investment program and the Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, supplemented by financial support from industrial partners and investors. The Fregate-F100 will be offered at a price comparable to that of the De Havilland Canadair 515 aircraft, which is expected to be delivered to market in 2028 at the earliest. The Fregate-F100 will be able to run on SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), thereby reducing its carbon footprint.

The choice of Istres for the assembly of the Fregate-F100

“The Jean Sarrail aeronautical hub in Istres offers many advantages, starting with top infrastructure that is immediately available to accommodate the production of the first prototype,” emphasizes David Pincet. Starting in 2028, the company plans to occupy 7000 to 9000 square meters in the Mercure hangar, which was built by Dassault Aviation, and then expand with the construction of new buildings nearby. “Direct access to the Istres air base, the partnerships we will be able to forge with the French air force and the DGA military procurement agency, as well as the thriving local ecosystem of subcontractors and talented employees, are all guarantees of success for our project and its long-term future in Provence,” he says.

According to the project’s development schedule, the initial design phase is planned for 2026, accompanied by the recruitment of around 80 employees. By the end of 2027, the project will involve nearly 200 people. 2029 will mark the completion of the first prototype, with more than 300 employees. During the production phase, HynAero plans to have a permanent workforce of 500 people in Istres and up to 2000 subcontracting jobs.

Provence Promotion, alongside the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, is now working to welcome the first employees to suitable office facilities in order to finalize the company’s studies and engineering work, while also proposing financing options to support the next stages of the project.

This large-scale industrial endeavour meets European and international needs, notably from countries that face traditional threats from forest fires such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey, as well as places that are struggling with new risks of fires due to the changing climate, such as Sweden.