Gdańsk Airport adds 5‑million‑zloty Panther fire‑fighting vehicle

The Airport Rescue and Fire Service at Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport has received a new Rosenbauer Panther aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle. The 39‑tonne vehicle, purchased for nearly 5 million zł, measures 12 m long, 3 m wide and 3.7 m high and is powered by a 750 hp engine with 6×6 drive, reaching 80 km/h in 25 seconds.

It carries 12 000 L of water, 1 450 L of foam‑generating agent and 250 kg of dry powder, and its pump can deliver 8 000 L of water per minute at 10 bar. Two electronically controlled cannons discharge 9 500 L/min from the roof and 2 000 L/min from the bumper. The Panther replaces the aging Barracuda unit from 1996 and brings the airport’s fire‑protection level to ICAO Category 7. Airport President Tomasz Kloskowski said the new vehicle represents a significant step forward for passenger and crew safety.