As fires rage near Jerusalem, one of the world’s largest firefighting aircraft—the Boeing 747 Supertanker—has been dispatched from Greece to assist Israeli emergency crews battling the blaze.
The aircraft, which has earned a reputation as a flying firefighter, is capable of dropping tens of thousands of liters of water or fire retardant in a single mission, making it one of the most powerful tools available in the fight against wildfires.
What is the Supertanker?
The Supertanker is a converted Boeing 747-400, originally designed for commercial aviation but later transformed into a specialized firefighting aircraft. It was first developed by Evergreen International Aviation and most recently operated by the American-based company Global SuperTanker Services.
With its vast reach, long endurance, and precision capabilities, the Supertanker has been used in countries around the world, from the United States and Chile to Israel.
The Supertanker’s primary advantage is its enormous capacity—it can carry up to 74,000 liters (19,600 gallons) of water or flame retardant. That’s significantly more than most firefighting aircraft currently in service.
It also uses a pressurized drop system, allowing it to release its payload at high speeds and from altitudes of 400 to 800 feet, with precision and flexibility. The system enables multiple segmented drops per flight, which can be adjusted mid-air to address changing conditions on the ground.
Despite its size, the aircraft can reach speeds of over 900 kilometers per hour (around Mach 0.86), giving it the range to reach hotspots quickly—especially in a small country like Israel.
History of operations
This is not the first time the Supertanker has come to Israel’s aid. It was deployed during the 2010 Carmel forest fire—one of the deadliest in the country’s history—and again in 2016 to assist with multiple fires near Haifa and Jerusalem.
Outside of Israel, the aircraft has played a crucial role in major firefighting efforts around the globe:
In California, it was used to contain the 2017 Thomas Fire, among others.
In Chile, it helped extinguish some of the worst wildfires in the country's history.
And during numerous other crises, it has been called in as a last line of aerial defense.
Why now?
With wildfires rapidly spreading through the Jerusalem hills, Israel appealed to Greece and other allies for international assistance. Greece responded within hours, dispatching the Supertanker and other firefighting resources as part of a broader regional support effort.