In recent years, the frequency of large-scale forest fires has increased significantly owing to a number of factors including the effects of climate change, urbanisation, poor landscape management and malevolent acts. These so-called “Mega-fires” are particularly destructive and difficult to control with the technologies and systems currently available to fire fighters and emergency agencies. The AF3 project aims to provide a significant improvement to the efficiency of current fire-fighting operations and to the protection of human lives, environment and property by developing innovative technologies and means to ensure a high level of integration between existing and new systems. To reach this objective, AF3 project focuses on the following areas:
• Innovative active countermeasures: implementation of the novel AAFF (Advanced Aerial Fire Fighting) system to accurately and safely disperse extinguishing materials from high altitude by aircrafts and helicopters in any condition: day and night, regardless of weather, smoke and configuration of terrain. It will enable a quick 24H response, minimizing fire duration and damages. AAFF system can be adapted to a variety of planes or helicopters.

• Innovative passive countermeasures: build-up of preventive defensive lines of capsules to prevent the spreading of fire from forest to populated areas
• Early detection and monitoring: by integration of diverse systems such as satellites, airplanes, UAVs, both mobile and stationary ground systems for the early fire detection and monitoring of its propagation.
• Integrated crisis management: innovative AF3 Core Expert Engine will perform overall coordination of all fire fighting missions.

Results of AF3 will be validated by real-live tests during the project, including demonstration with flight tests and drilling exercises to be carried out in Greece (May 2016), Spain (November 2016) and Israel (April 2017).