Rosenbauer Delivers Four New PANTHER 6x6 ARFF Vehicles To Nepal’s ‘Gautam Buddha’ International Airport

Not only is Nepal home to the world's highest peaks, but it will also soon host some of the world's most powerful and modern ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting) vehicles.

ARFF vehicles

Globally renowned rescue and firefighting vehicles manufacturer, Rosenbauer will deliver four new PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles to keep the new ‘Gautam Buddha’ International Airport on the border with India, safe and protected against any untoward incidents.

Four new PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles provide everything that is needed for greater security of the new international airport

Nepal is a small country compared to its neighbors, India and China. And the infrastructure is still not very advanced in many regions. The new ‘Gautam Buddha’ airport, slated to open in 2021, on the border with India will be only the second international airport in Nepal. However, when it comes to equipping its airport with ARFF vehicles, Nepal is in no way inferior to its big neighbors. On the contrary, the four new PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles provide everything that is needed for greater security of the new international airport.

‘Gateway to the World’

The reason for the expansion of a second airport to become an international airport is grounded in Nepal's recent history. The country's only major airport in the capital, Kathmandu, was badly damaged in the devastating 2015 earthquake. This made it incredibly difficult for international relief teams to reach the areas most affected by the crisis.

And the many aid shipments that were sent to Nepal by plane all had to be processed through a single airport. The new ‘Gautam Buddha’ International Airport will act as an additional gateway to the world, and not only in times of crisis.

PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles

The four PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles that will be based at this new international airport will play a major role in enhancing its safety. The vehicles are already eye-catchers with their flashy yellow-green finish, but their technical equipment leaves nothing to be desired either.

All of the vehicles are equipped with the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) driving safety system and Volvo EURO 5 engines with an impressive 700 hp to ensure that they have all the driving power required.

Powerful extinguishing systems

At the core of the extinguishing system lies the N80 pump, made of a light alloy

At the core of the extinguishing system lies the N80 pump, made of a light alloy, which can pump 8,000 liters of water per minute at 10 bar pressure. A 12,000-liter water and 1,500-liter foam tank supply the extinguishing agent. The proportioning ratio can be set to 3%, 6% or 8% at the push of a button.

The extinguishing agent can be applied in a variety of ways with one of the four new PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles even equipped with a STINGER extinguishing arm, which features an RM65 water turret, piercing tool and a forward-looking infrared camera, and which can be extended up to 16.5 meters and is controlled from the driver's cab using a joystick.

Fitted with a roof-mounted RM80 turret

The other three vehicles are all fitted with a roof-mounted RM80 turret. All four vehicles are also capable of extinguishing with an RM15 bumper monitor. With ground-sweep nozzles, a dry powder unit and quick-action reels, the vehicles are well-equipped for a wide variety of operational scenarios. For night-time operations, a pneumatically extendable floodlight mast with eight rotating and swiveling LED floodlights provides the appropriate illumination.

The opening of the new ‘Gautam Buddha’ International Airport marks another milestone in the development of the mountainous country of Nepal. And, here at Rosenbauer, the company is proud that the four new PANTHER 6x6 ARFF vehicles provided will make an important contribution to the long-term security of the airport.