This fire engine can pump 10,000 litres of water per minute into a burning aeroplane. Launched in 2015, the Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 is designed to deal with emergencies at the world's busiest airports. It's already in action: last August, it was successfully deployed after a plane crash-landed at Dubai International Airport.
It features a centrifugal pump capable of spraying water or foam up to 100 metres and its thermal-imaging camera can pinpoint the hottest part of a stricken plane. This model is 11 metres long, three metres wide and features a dual 760-horsepower engine configuration, giving it an impressive top speed of 120kph.
The Panther is on standby in 81 airports around the world, including Heathrow. "It's a lifesaving piece of kit, so it has to be world-class," explains Oliver North, managing director of Rosenbauer UK. "The innovation in the boom and engine is an absolute necessity." WIRED hopes it makes a big splash.
\1. The Panther's 760-horsepower engine and eight-speed gearbox helps it hit 80kph in 28 seconds. \2. It has a rotating front boom and 16.5-metre extendible stinger that can penetrate aircraft fuselages. \3. Its Driver Enhanced Vision System allows for navigation in areas omitted from standard mapping. \4. A FLIR (forward-looking infrared) camera improves the driver's vision through smoke and thick fog.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
