• A Ukrainian-made firefighting aircraft, the An-32P, has been deployed to Montenegro
• It aims to assist in battling wildfires as part of a mission supported by the United Arab Emirates
• The arrangement was finalised following talks between Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and UAE Foreign Minister

A Ukrainian-made firefighting aircraft, the An-32P, has been deployed to Montenegro to assist in battling wildfires as part of a mission supported by the United Arab Emirates.

The arrangement was finalised following talks between Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Initially, the plan called for the short-term use of two Black Hawk helicopters, but as the fires spread, the mission was expanded and extended.

The An-32P is operated by XENA, and it is considered one of the most efficient firefighting planes in its class.

Its tanks can be refilled in 10 to 15 minutes, allowing for rapid turnaround for repeated strikes against advancing fire lines. The aircraft can also para-drop up to 27 smokejumpers, deliver firefighting equipment, or conduct airlifts of vehicles, cargo, and even medical evacuations.

It carries four detachable 2,000 litre tanks that can discharge fire-retardant fluid either simultaneously or sequentially, depending on mission needs.