• Rosenbauer to deliver 7 new PANTHER 6x6 to Athens International Airport
• Includes the anniversary vehicle with the serial number 3,000
• Rosenbauer initiates a comprehensive generational change in the airport fire service's vehicle fleet
Rosenbauer has reached a very special milestone: it is about to deliver the 3,000th PANTHER 6x6 to Athens International Airport. Greece's largest airport is set to receive a total of seven new fourth-generation PANTHER 6x6 vehicles. They will replace seven vehicles from the existing Rosenbauer fleet from the 1998 model year. Rosenbauer successfully won the bid to supply the airport in an international tender.
"A real generational change is under way in Athens. The existing PANTHER vehicles are older than Athens airport itself and have been in use for more than 25 years. This is impressive proof of the quality and durability of our vehicles, which function reliably even in extreme conditions. However, as the complexity of operational requirements increases, new technological solutions are needed - and that's exactly what the fourth-generation PANTHER 6x6 was designed for," said Andreas Zeller, Chief Sales Officer of Rosenbauer International AG.
Maximum flexibility for emergencies
Three PANTHER 6x6 vehicles with a high reach extendable turret (HRET) and four vehicles with classic roof turret will be supplied. The HRET units are equipped with an extendable telescopic arm that reaches a height of around 16 meters and is fitted with a piercing tool for targeted penetration into aircraft fuselages. Water, foam, or extinguishing powder can be dispensed with high precision via the turret. The vehicles with roof turrets have electrically remote-controlled turrets with flow rates of up to 9,000 liters per minute and throw ranges of well over 80 meters, making it possible to carry out effective external attacks from a distance. This combination offers maximum flexibility for both rapid initial attacks and complex rescue and extinguishing scenarios.
In addition to the high-performance pumps including admixture systems, the decisive factors in the decision to award the contract were the precise control of HRET and turrets, state-of-the-art driver assistance and safety systems, the ergonomic crew cabin, and off-road mobility and robustness. The equipment is supplemented by integrated thermal imaging and illumination solutions for maximum operational safety.
"All these features together significantly enhance our power and safety. The PANTHER 6x6 offers impressive reliability, short response times, and advanced extinguishing capabilities. We were also very impressed with the highly professional planning process carried out in conjunction with our airport fire department," said Kostas Kousoulas, Head of Technology, Vehicle Management and Maintenance at Athens airport.
Security for Greece's most important aviation hub
Athens International Airport is the largest airport in Greece and the most used gateway for visitors to the Hellenic Republic. Opened in March 2001 in the run-up to the Olympic Games, the airport has two runways and currently handles an average of around 770 flights per day - and significantly more in the summer months. The new generation of PANTHER vehicles will ensure that the airport is ideally equipped to meet ever-increasing traffic and security requirements.
A historic milestone
The delivery of the 3,000th PANTHER will also mark an important milestone in the history of Rosenbauer's airport fire extinguishing technology. From the first large tank firefighting vehicles of the 1950s to the pioneering SIMBA series of the 1980s and the debut of the first PANTHER in 1991, the name Rosenbauer has stood for innovation, reliability, and progress. What began with the ambition to develop a faster, more powerful, and more intuitive airport firefighting vehicle has become a global success story.
This is also demonstrated by the impressive production figures: more than 2,000 PANTHERs were delivered between 1991 to 2020, with over 1,000 more vehicles added between 2020 and 2026. Today, the PANTHER is one of the world's most widely used aircraft firefighting vehicles and is in operation at international hubs as well as at regional airports, from Geneva to Atlanta to Athens.
With the fourth PANTHER generation, Rosenbauer is consistently driving forward this development and writing the next chapter in a success story spanning more than three decades. The anniversary vehicle is a prime example of continuous technological development and a family of vehicles that sets global standards in terms of performance, usability, and operational reliability.