Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER) announced Friday it has been awarded an exclusive-use contract by the State of Montana to provide wildfire detection and mapping services using a specially modified Daher Kodiak 100 aircraft. The contract follows a competitive bidding process and marks a major milestone in Bridger’s expansion of its aerial firefighting operations.
The agreement includes an initial one-year term with two optional extension years, pending continued state funding. Under the deal, Bridger will provide a minimum of 120 days of aircraft availability annually, for a base contract value of $648,000. Additional days and flight hours may be added to the agreement as needed.
“This opportunity is especially meaningful as it allows us to support critical firefighting operations right here in our home state,” said Sam Davis, CEO of Bridger Aerospace. “Nearly all of our air attack and sensor-equipped fleet is now either committed or operational for the 2025 fire season, and we’re proud to bring cutting-edge aerial intelligence capabilities to Montana’s front lines.”
The aircraft selected for the mission—a Daher Kodiak 100—has been outfitted with advanced sensors and a dedicated operator workstation. The modifications, conducted in-house by Bridger and its newly acquired subsidiary FMS Aerospace, represent the first joint contract win since the 2024 acquisition. The enhanced system enables rapid identification of wildfire hotspots, precise perimeter mapping, and near-real-time delivery of infrared imagery to firefighting crews across the state.
Bridger Aerospace is one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the U.S., providing services to federal and state agencies including the U.S. Forest Service. This latest contract strengthens its exclusive-use portfolio and underscores the company’s growing role in modernizing wildfire management efforts through technology-driven solutions.
By: BSH staff