KEPPLAIR 72 — Data sheet

KEPPLAIR 72 technical specifications

A conversion of the ATR 72-600, one of the world's most-produced and most-proven twin-turboprop regional aircraft, paired with the KEDS drop system.

The ATR 72-600 platform

Manufacturer figures for the base ATR 72-600 airframe, before conversion into the KEPPLAIR 72.

Water bomber: 7,500 L of water or retardant, released in continuous flow to lay a retardant line, or in a burst effect for a full drop in under 1.2 seconds.
Cargo: Up to 8.5 tonnes of freight across 75 m³ of usable volume, for logistics or humanitarian support missions outside fire season.
Medical evacuation: Medical configuration for the safe transport of 2 to 6 casualties, with medical staff and equipment on board.

The KEPPLAIR 72 positions itself as a multirole aircraft complementary to existing fleets, rather than a head-on competitor.

The KEPPLAIR 72 against existing water bomber aircraft
Aircraft	Capacity	In-flight scooping	Status
KEPPLAIR 72	7,500 L	No	Conversion of an existing ATR 72-600; first prototype delivered in 2026.
Canadair CL-415 / CL-515	≈ 6,000 L	Yes	Ageing fleet; the next-generation DHC-515 ordered via rescEU is not expected before 2028, with delays considered likely.
Converted Bombardier Q-Series (Dash 8)	Varies by conversion	No	Existing conversions, without a modular cargo/medevac configuration like the KEPPLAIR 72.

Public figures for the programmes cited, for indicative and non-exhaustive comparison purposes.

Sources: ATR 72-600 manufacturer data sheet, Wikipedia (KEPPLAIR 72), public reports on the rescEU mechanism.