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Australian Defence Force personnel at Royal Australian Air Force Base East Sale have welcomed the arrival of a new Broadspectrum Panther-S firefighting vehicle and the increased capability it will bring.
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Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester welcomed the addition of the Panther-S and applauded the efforts of Broadspectrum employees during the recent bushfire emergency.
“The new Panther-S model is being introduced by as part of Broadspectrum’s investment and commitment to firefighting and airfield safety,” Minister Chester said.
“This investment is an example of the continued commitment of Broadspectrum to provide our ADF personnel with high-quality, state-of-the-art products and services.
“I also thank Broadspectrum and the support they provided during the bushfires, where they provided extensive services to Defence personnel and evacuees, as well as being involved in the firefighting.”
The Panther is a high-performance aircraft rescue and fire vehicle, designed to provide immediate response to aircraft incidents, to save lives and prevent further damage to equipment.
The six-wheel drive vehicle is equipped with all terrain capability, can accommodate a crew of four, and when fully equipped is capable of acceleration from a standing start to 80km/h within 35 seconds.
The Panther is designed to carry 8,500 litres of water and 1,300 litres of foam concentrate to produce extinguishing agents via roof and/or bumper mounted monitors and/or other outlets including self-protection systems, and has the ability to spray water or water foam solution to a range of 70 metres.
The arrival event included demonstrations of the new vehicle’s capability. Along with Minister Chester, representatives from Defence, Broadspectrum and the vehicle manufacturer, Rosenbauer Australia, attended the launch at the RAAF East Sale Fire Station.
Defence has had a partnership with Broadspectrum to deliver base services products at a large number of bases for more than 15 years.
RAAF Base East Sale provides a training environment for novice pilots, as well as important operational capabilities for Defence. The firefighting service is an important component of the ground support that enables the safe operation of aircraft.
