The aircraft that scoops 12 tonnes of water in 14 seconds

Countries & Cities · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Imagine a jet-powered flying boat capable of skimming a lake at nearly takeoff speed to gulp down thousands of gallons of water in a heartbeat. The Beriev Be-200 Altair isn't just a plane; it is a high-speed maritime workhorse designed to fight forest fires and rescue lives from the sea.

Initiated in 1989, the Be-200 was designed to be a civilian alternative to the military A-40 Albatross, sharing a similar layout but weighing about half as much. Its development was a collaborative effort between Beriev and the Irkutsk Aircraft Production Association. The aircraft's name, 'Altair,' was chosen in a 2002–2003 competition, combining the name of an alpha star with the names of the cities Taganrog and Irkutsk.

The Be-200's primary claim to fame is its unique fire-fighting system. Developed using a modified Be-12P aircraft, the system allows the Be-200 to scoop water while skimming the surface at 90-95% of its takeoff speed. It features four retractable scoops that can gather 12 tonnes of water in just 14 seconds. Once airborne, it can drop this water in a single salvo or up to eight consecutive drops, emptying its tanks in less than one second while flying above 220 km/h.

The aircraft's journey has been marked by complex geopolitical and technical hurdles. While a 2002 study with EADS and Rolls-Royce suggested a market for 320 aircraft, the plan for a Rolls-Royce-powered version was scrapped in 2004 due to high costs associated with salt-water corrosion. More recently, the program faced obstacles including a 2018 engine swap to the PowerJet SaM146—which was suspended due to NATO component concerns—and a 2024 strike on the Taganrog manufacturing facility. Despite these challenges, the Be-200 remains a versatile multi-role platform, capable of carrying 72 passengers, 30 stretcher patients, or even performing anti-submarine warfare.

Today, production has shifted to Taganrog, where ten serial aircraft have been built. These include variants for the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Russian Navy, and Algeria. The aircraft is designed to operate from 1,800-meter runways or open water at least 2,300 meters long and 2.5 meters deep, making it a highly adaptable tool for diverse maritime and terrestrial environments.

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