Which G222 fought fires?

Short answer

The firefighter was the G.222SAA, from Sistema Aeronautico Antincendio: it was equipped to drop water or chemical retardants, and four were built for the Italian Air Force. In 1983, a single Italian G.222 was fitted out for firefighting duties, alongside a C-130 already doing that job.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

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The G.222SAA

The firefighting version of the family was the G.222SAA, standing for Sistema Aeronautico Antincendio, "aeronautical anti-fire system." It was equipped to drop water or chemical retardants, and four were built for the Italian Air Force. In 1983, a single Italian Air Force G.222 was fitted out for firefighting duties, alongside a C-130 that already performed that role.

Other special versions

The G.222VS, from Versione Speciale ("special version"), was the electronic warfare variant: two were built for the Italian Air Force. The G.222RM, from Radiomisura ("radio measurements"), was the radio and radar calibration aircraft.

The transport it derived from

The aircraft's origin lies in the specification NATO published in 1962 for a V/STOL transport, NATO Basic Military Requirement 4, capable of supporting dispersed V/STOL fighters. On 18 July 1970, the first prototype made the type's maiden flight, with test pilot Vittorio Sanseverino at the controls. In December 1975, the first production aircraft flew for the first time. In April 1978, that same aircraft formally entered service with the AMI.