- Unlimited outsourcing to private companies for aerial firefighting.
- Who is Diamond Aircraft, the company that won the contract for three DA62 MPP aerial
surveillance aircraft? - The Greek representative of Diamond Aircraft, Sokratis Georganteas of NATER
TECHNION LTD, and the 2013 Wikileaks email leak. - Over 3,600 vacancies in the fire department, volunteer complaints, and problematic
ground equipment. - Experts sound the alarm after the Varnavas-Chalandri fire: The government's sole focus
on aerial firefighting is weakening ground forces, so hours go by without combating the
fires.
By Vassilis Galoupis and Paris Karvounopoulos
The wildfires in Greece have created a huge market and opportunities for private
companies, which have rushed to take advantage of the government’s willingness to
privatize even critical sectors such as aerial firefighting and air ambulance services.
The unrestricted outsourcing of aerial firefighting to private companies was also revealed in
the official announcement of the Fire Department regarding the recent devastating fire in
Attica.
Of the 20 aerial resources listed, only five (three Canadairs, one Chinook, and one Super
Puma) are part of the state fleet. All the others are leased helicopters and small Air Tractor
aircraft, which Data Journalists recently covered in their report.
Read the investigation on the Fire Cartel here
The government gives the impression that it has no limits when it comes to privatizing aerial
firefighting and air ambulance services.
A few weeks before the Attica fire, which burned 100,000 acres as wildfires raged across
Greece, the Greek government signed a contract to buy three aircraft for … aerial
surveillance missions. If we have reached the point where we have to buy aircraft just for
basic surveillance, then the situation is extremely alarming.
How and when were these aircraft selected? What were the specifications? Is it true that
these criteria were tailored to favor the chosen company?
The announcement by Diamond Aircraft on July 4, 2024, followed the signing
of the contract by the Minister of Climate Crisis, Vassilis Kikilias
About the company
The company that won the aerial surveillance contract is Diamond Aircraft. In an
announcement on July 4, following the signing of the contract by the Minister of Climate
Crisis, Vassilis Kikilias, they stated:
"Diamond Aircraft has recently signed a significant contract for the delivery of three DA62
MPP aerial surveillance aircraft to the Greek Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
These aircraft will be used for firefighting, search and rescue, airborne command and
control, and aerial surveillance missions, utilizing advanced electro-optical systems, cell
phone tracking technology, and various data links to enhance Greece's ability to effectively
manage and respond to emergencies.
In addition to the three special mission DA62 MPP aircraft, the contract includes ground
stations, training, spares, and ongoing support. Each aircraft will be equipped with state-of-
the-art technology tailored for aerial surveillance and emergency response missions.
The configuration includes:
- Trakka TC-375 EO/IR Camera: Provides high-resolution imaging for effective surveillance
and identification. - Smith & Myers ARTEMIS cell phone tracking system: Improves search and rescue
operations by accurately locating mobile devices. - CarteNav AIMS-ISR Mission Management System: Enables efficient mission planning and
execution. - Beyond Line-of-Sight Data Link: Enables near real-time data transfer to and from the
aircraft. - 4G/5G Datalink: Provides real-time communication and data transfer.
- Maritime VHF Radio: Supports maritime communications for ubiquitous coverage during
operations.
“This contract represents a significant milestone in the special mission aircraft sector, ” said
Mario Spiegel, Diamond Special Mission Aircraft’s Director of Sales. “The DA62 MPP is
designed to deliver exceptional performance in demanding environments, and we are
confident that these aircraft will greatly enhance Greece's firefighting and search and rescue
capabilities. We are committed to providing comprehensive support to ensure the success
of their critical missions”
Diamond Aircraft looks forward to delivering these advanced aircraft and supporting Greece
in its efforts to protect its citizens and natural resources. Delivery of the three DA62 MPP
Special Mission Aircraft is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2025.
Sokratis Georganteas, Diamond Aircraft NATER TECHNION LTD’s representative in Greece,
and ATESE SA, the prime contractor, have made significant efforts to implement this project,
from the first demonstration flights in November 2022 to the implementation in April 2024.
“It is a great honor and privilege for our company, ATESE S.A., as the main contractor of the
project, to collaborate with the internationally renowned Diamond Aircraft Industries. It fills
us with pride and responsibility to carry out a project aimed at protecting our country,
Greece, from the effects of fire. ATESE S.A. is committed to doing its best to achieve an
outstanding result,” said Tasos Kotronis, Vice President of the Business Development Group.
Wikileaks and the Israeli Computer and Phone Intrusion Platform
Sokratis Georganteas, the Greek representative of Diamond Aircraft NATER TECHNION LTD,
has been involved in other contracts with the Greek government.
The name “Sokratis Georganteas” was previously mentioned in Wikileaks revelations. (https://wikileaks.org/
documents, whose authenticity has not been confirmed, this name appears as a
representative of INTERSO LLC and as an intermediary on behalf of the Greek police. It is
reported that in 2013 he corresponded with a company with Israeli interests regarding
platforms for software intrusion into cell phones, computers, etc. It seems that the deal did
not progress due to the financial difficulties the government was facing at the time amid the
memoranda.
The critical area of search and rescue
According to Diamond Aircraft’s official announcement, the aircraft will also be used for
search and rescue operations, a sector of particular importance to Greece, especially in the
Aegean Sea, where Turkey is actively involved – not through private companies.
It is no secret that for many years Turkey has used search and rescue operations as a means
to argue that control of the Aegean should be shared in order to "save lives".
Until a few years ago, Greece ensured that it was present where and when search and
rescue was needed. Will we reach a point where we entrust search and rescue to private
companies?
The dire state of air ambulance services
The government is creating a huge market for private companies in the critical area of air
ambulance services. The deterioration of state structures is shocking and extremely
dangerous. In the heart of summer, Greece has run out of air resources as wildfires rage
once again.
The two AW-109S helicopters dedicated exclusively to air ambulances are out of service due
to poor maintenance planning. The SUPER PUMA helicopters are in even worse condition.
The daily demand for air ambulance services is 8-10 flights.
The market for private companies is huge, with estimates suggesting that Greece makes at
least 3,500 air ambulance flights a year at a cost of around €70,000,000.
While the government is lavishly spending millions on controversial solutions for aerial
firefighting, air ambulance, and search and rescue, there is a proposal to maintain and
upgrade 10 Super Puma helicopters for €120 million. It is unclear why the government does
not choose to use 10 efficient state-owned helicopters and instead spends millions on
private companies.
The open tender announcement of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development
Fund (HRADF) in October 2023
The tender for the three aircraft and its cost
The contract for the procurement of the three twin-engine aircraft from Diamond Aircraft
was signed on April 4, 2024, following a tender conducted by the Hellenic Republic Asset
Development Fund (HRADF).
As announced at the time, the procurement of the aircraft is part of the implementation of
the Aegis program, which aims to strengthen civil protection resources, with a total budget
of €2.1 billion. The expenditure budget for this specific contract was €23,336,000.
The announcement of the "electronic open tender above the limits for the procurement of
three (3) aircraft as airborne command centers, monitoring and data recording (air
surveillance)" was made by HRADF on October 23, 2023.
The scope of action, as stated, is "Adaptation to climate change and prevention and
management of climate-related risks: fires", with an estimated contract value, as stated, of
€23.3 million (excluding VAT).
Thousands of Firefighter Vacancies Persist, Ground Forces Weakened
It is estimated that there are currently at least 3,600 vacancies in critical firefighting
positions across the country. Often, personnel from other regions are "drafted" to respond
to fires after traveling long distances, compromising firefighting effectiveness and firefighter
safety.
Often, the fire department’s response vehicles are equipped only with water tankers, as
many areas lack fire hydrants.
On August 13, volunteer firefighters reported on social media that they had gone two days
without food or water while battling the flames:
"For the second day, the officials of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and
the Fire Department Headquarters have left the firefighters without food and drinking
water. Countless complaints have been made since yesterday afternoon. Not a single bottle
of water has been provided, and what was provided yesterday was warm and undrinkable.
It is a disgrace to the state apparatus that residents have to cook and distribute food to
firefighters on their bicycles.
In mid-June, the firefighters union of the district of Larissa reported staff shortages and
critical conditions at the Larissa Fire Department:
"Amid the fire season and with enormous staffing problems, the final blow to the Larissa
services came with this year’s transfers. While we asked for additional personnel, instead
there was a massive reduction in staff, especially during the summer, which disrupted the
planning of all the services of the district.
We must inform the citizens of the disaster-stricken district of Larissa that some have
decided that we will have fewer firefighters this year, who will be needed for any
emergency. The remaining firefighters will have to work up to 48 hours (!!!) to cover the
needs of a city of 300,000 inhabitants," the statement read.
The Fire Department has approximately 3,500 vehicles of all types, including 2,000 water
tankers, 500 specialized fire trucks, and 1,000 support vehicles. However, 500 of these are
more than 30 years old and about 1,500 are more than 20 years old, meaning that much of
the existing equipment is becoming obsolete and the need for maintenance and repairs is
increasing. Spare parts are becoming increasingly scarce.
Alarm from experts
Just hours after the devastating fire in Varnavas-Chalandri, wildfire experts such as Adrianos
Gourbatsis (retired Major General, former Deputy Chief of the Fire Service, former Professor
of Law and specialist in arson crimes) and Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos, Dean of the School
of Agriculture and Forestry at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and member of the
Goldammer Committee, highlighted the government’s narrow focus on aerial firefighting
and the significant problems of organization and planning in the ground forces. Mr.
Dimitrakopoulos stated that at least 10-12 hours were lost after the initial deployment of
aircraft in Varnavas, during which time the fire spread uncontrollably throughout the night,
eventually reaching Penteli, Vrilissia, and Chalandri in the morning.
In summary, the government’s approach appears to be focused on purchasing expensive
aerial systems to monitor and report on fires, without adequate ground forces and plans to
extinguish them.
Photo: diamondaircraft.com
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