The Ukrainian airline "XENA", which specializes in aerial firefighting, has announced plans to expand its fleet due to active participation in European tenders, UNN reports.
The only commercial operator of AN-32P aircraft, the Ukrainian company "XENA", despite the challenges of the war, is developing and scaling up. As the company's founder Roman Mileshko said in an interview, the company is actively participating in tenders for firefighting in Europe for the next season. In this regard, "XENA" is building ambitious plans to double its aircraft fleet.
Currently, "XENA" employs 49 specialists. This is the minimum number of people required to operate two aircraft and administer the company's activities. We have two fully prepared crews. We are now actively participating in tenders for firefighting in Europe for the next season. This work has already begun. We do not rule out that we will need to put a third and fourth aircraft into operation. This is what we are working on
Currently, the company has two An-32P aircraft, one of which was purchased, and the other was converted by the company's own efforts at its base in Slovakia. The aircraft already have significant experience working in the international market, as they have repeatedly participated in extinguishing large-scale fires in Turkey, Georgia, and Montenegro. Moreover, the company's aircraft are currently fighting fires in Montenegro and Turkey.
The active participation of "XENA" in tenders confirms the growing competitiveness of Ukrainian aviation operators in the international market. On the one hand, this is an achievement of a Ukrainian company, and on the other hand, it is a signal to the authorities that our aviation needs to be supported, believes political scientist Ruslan Bortnyk.
One can only welcome such work of the company, and wish for state and social support. Ukraine must create special legal tax conditions for such companies to operate in international markets, so that when the war ends, Ukrainian companies can immediately return to the domestic market
Thus, the example of "XENA" demonstrates that the development of Ukrainian aviation goes far beyond business interests. It is both a contribution to strengthening the positive image of the state, proof of the high professionalism of our specialists, and a signal to the authorities about the need to support the industry. After all, it is such companies that form the image of Ukraine on the international arena as a country capable of competing, developing, and asserting its authority in the world even during wartime.