The Bombardier Aerospace Bombardier 415 is the latest in a line of multi-role amphibious aircraft which began with the CL-215 in the 1960s. The Bombardier 415 amphibian is a high-wing, turboprop aircraft that evolved from over 30 years of experience with the CL-215 firefighting amphibious aircraft. It features a four-compartment, four-door water tank system that can hold 6137 litres (1621 US gallons) of water/foam mixture and refills its tanks by skimming the surface of any suitable body of water. The Bombardier 415, although externally similar to its predecessor, is quite a new machine. It features Pratt & Whitney Canada turboprops, an air-conditioned glass cockpit, and powered flight controls. Compared to the CL-215, it has increased operating weight and speed yielding improved productivity. Aircraft systems have been updated for easier maintainability. In its firefighting configuration, the Bombardier 415 is ideal for Initial Attack on forest fires; getting to the fire at the earliest stages and repeatedly dropping large amounts of fire suppressing foam. The Bombardier 415 amphibian is also well suited to other missions such as maritime surveillance, coastal patrol, search and rescue, utility transport and resource protection.

" This aircraft was developed on the basis of the An-32 series produced cargo transport, in and it can perform the following missions for protection of forests: extinguishing of forest fires with special liquid; airdrop of smoke jumpers, their equipment, aids and cargoes into the area of forest fire; direct activation of clouds in order to cause artificial precipitation over the fire zone. The tests confirmed design performance of the aircraft. After aerial discharge of 8 tons of fire extinguishing liquid from two tanks, at a speed of 240 to 260 km/h and from an altitude of 40-50 m, a water spot, 120-160 m long and 10-35 m wide, with concentration of the liquid exceeding 1 liter per sq. m is formed on the ground. Drop of the fire extinguishing agent may be done simultaneously (in a single discharge) or in series, from the first and second section of each tank, with an automatic delay. Two airplanes were used to extinguish the high-elevated forest fire in the vicinity of Yalta in 1993. Their experience (about 100 flights over mountainous terrains) demonstrate the high efficiency of the aircraft. " Antonov ASTC Company