In October 1991, Rosenbauer presented a brand-new aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle to mark the company's 125th anniversary. A vehicle that the firefighting world had never seen before and that will significantly shape the development of this vehicle category over the next 30 years: the PANTHER. Even then, it impressed the firefighting world with its performance: the 36-tonne emergency vehicle has more than 11,000 litres of extinguishing agent on board, which can be applied in less than two minutes with a technical extinguishing system performance of 6,000 l/min. It can accelerate from 0 to 80 km/h in 24 seconds with a 1,000 hp engine and reaches a top speed of 135 km/h on its 8x8 chassis. Performance figures with which the PANTHER immediately defined the state-of-the-art and which are increased with each new vehicle generation from then on. The PANTHER is THE benchmark for ARFF vehicles. For 30 years. If any vehicle sets trends in this category, it is the PANTHER.

The elite
ARFF vehicles are the flagships of firefighting vehicles. They have to transport thousands of liters of extinguishing agent to cope with the quantities of jet fuel that can catch fire in an aircraft accident. They need high-performance extinguishing technology to be able to apply the large quantities of extinguishing agent as quickly as possible. And they must have powerful drives and all-wheel-drive chassis with high off-road capability, because they only have three minutes to get from the airport station to the scene of the emergency, which can be anywhere on the airport grounds.

Rosenbauer is now building the fourth generation of PANTHER series ARFF vehicles. Maximum passenger safety, perfected extinguishing technology and increased ease of use and operation are the distinguishing features of the current series. The crew is protected as never before during the approach in a crash-tested cabin. The LED lighting throughout improves visibility and increases the safety of the emergency crews around the vehicle. The jointly developed pumps (N65, N80, N110) and turrets (RM15, RM35, RM80) are optimally matched to each other (system performance up to 10,000 l/min) and, together with foam and compressed air foam systems, high pressure extinguishing systems and powder extinguishing systems, form fully integrated, complete extinguishing systems depending on performance requirements and prerequisites. The special heavy-duty chassis is also a Rosenbauer in-house development and consists of high-quality chassis components (e.g. coil-sprung rigid axles and shock absorbers) and a high-performance power train with automatic transmission, which together ensure the greatest possible driving performance, driving stability and safety, even on unpaved terrain.

Uniform operation
The operation of the PANTHER is identical across the entire series and all other Rosenbauer vehicles used at the airport, such as the rescue stairs or the AT series tank firefighting vehicles, are operated in the same way. The firefighting equipment, including pump & roll operation, is controlled electronically via a central display in the control panel, as are the alarm and lighting systems. All main functions are automated, so that the emergency crews can fully concentrate on their work. The turrets and booms (HRET, HVLA) are controlled via specially developed joysticks or control handles with highly sensitive kinematics.

Modern assistance systems have now also found their way into the PANTHER world in large numbers. The vehicles can be equipped with thermal imaging cameras, reversing cameras, birdview systems, as well as an Electronic Braking System (EBS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and tyre pressure monitoring. Also available with EMEREC DEVS is a highly accurate airport navigation system with visual support, as well as a Driver Warning Device (DWD) that measures vehicle inclination as well as axial transverse and longitudinal forces to assist the driver in operating the vehicle safely.

Unrivaled variety
No other aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle is offered in such a wide variety as the PANTHER: the series includes vehicles on 2, 3 and 4-axle chassis with permanent all-wheel drive. Between the smallest and the largest version lies four meters and over 30 tonnes of difference. The PANTHER is available as a 6x6S with a narrow width (2.5 instead of 3.0 m), in which case it is roadworthy, or as a 4x4 AT, in which case it is air-portable. It can be used as a rapid intervention vehicle with a maximum of 7,000 l, or as a crash tender with up to 19,000 l of extinguishing agent. Equipped with a boom, the largest aircraft in the world can be extinguished from above. With the piercing tool, an aircraft skin can be pierced and an unmanned inside fire attack can be carried out, for example in a cargo plane. The PANTHER has even been equipped with a hydraulic rescue platform for rescuing pilots from fighter jets. And it is also built for industrial fire departments, although the Rosenbauer PANTHER is and remains a thoroughbred aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle. Each variant meets the international standards and safety regulations in this vehicle category, first and foremost those of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency), FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), ADV (German Airports Association) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).

The product range is complemented by the PANTHER tactics simulator in various versions (mobile, installed in a container, fullcab version), on which even "hot operations" can be trained on without risk and without consuming resources.

Outstanding, everywhere
Over 2,300 PANTHERS have been sold in the last 30 years and the vehicles delivered to more than 100 countries. The PANTHER was most commonly put into service in Australia, China, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the USA. The most technically demanding airport fire departments in Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Singapore rely on the PANTHER. Vehicles of the series are stationed at the world's largest airports in terms of passenger volume, such as Atlanta, Dubai, Hong Kong, London or Beijing, and protect exotic airports in Alaska, Mauritius or the Easter Islands, for example.

No aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle evokes as many emotions in the international firefighting community as the PANTHER. No other has set such outstanding technical benchmarks and impressed with its multiple award-winning design (red dot design award, iF design award, International Design Excellence Award, etc.). The PANTHER is a masterpiece whose exceptional performance, reliability and safety result from the perfect synergy of all system components. Chassis, crew cab, superstructure, firefighting equipment, electronics and operation - everything has been specially developed for the PANTHER and comes from a single source.

Rosenbauer is using the 30th anniversary as an opportunity to present the flagship extensively on its own microsite in the coming weeks: "We will highlight the vehicle in all its fascinating facets, delve deep into the world of the PANTHER and convey the benefits of this unique product from a different perspective, or 'behind the scenes', so to speak," says Product Manager, Philipp Platzl. We will start this week with the story of the very first PANTHER, from commissioning at Geneva Airport to its final destination in the museum at www.rosenbauer.com/xxxx.

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Rosenbauer International AG published this content on 18 October 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 18 October 2021 08:01:03 UTC.