Fiji Airports has bolstered its firefighting capabilities with the arrival of two state-of-the-art Rosenbauer Panther 6×6 Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting Vehicles (ARFFVs) at Nadi International Airport.
The new vehicles, costing approximately $4 million each, have a capacity of 12,000 litres of water and 1,500 litres of fluorine-free foam, ensuring they meet the highest standards of aviation fire safety. They complement a similar ARFFV delivered in December 2023, replacing units that have been in service for over 25 years. These vehicles are designed to respond to aviation incidents within three minutes of deployment, enhancing response times and operational efficiency.
The new additions Fiji Airports’ CEO Mesake Nawari says mark a significant upgrade to the airport’s emergency response fleet and also pave the way for the reallocation of existing fire tenders to Nausori and other regional airports, thereby improving overall safety and operational capabilities across Fiji’s airport network.
Approved by the Fiji Airports Board in January 2023 as part of the capital expenditure plan, the delivery of the new ARFFVs was initially set to span two years. However, following the successful Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) of the first vehicle in July 2023, the timeline was expedited to address urgent operational needs at Nadi International Airport.
