KME has recently delivered a variety of airfield fire apparatus to the United States Air Force that include state-of-the-art ultra-high pressure (UHP) firefighting pumping systems. A video of these trucks can be found in the Air Force’s latest strategic communication video titled "Light, Lean and Lethal - Air Force's UHP Firefighting Arsenal".
The link to the video featuring KME’s P-19, P-23 and P-34 vehicles follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDrH3QaVAI4
The Air Force contract’s models include (144) Rapid Intervention Vehicles, (5) 4x4 Class 4 ARFF Apparatus and (21) 6x6 Class 5 ARFF Apparatus with rear steer capability.
The RIV’s, mounted on a Ford Super Duty chassis, include 400 gallons of water, 15 gallons of Class A Foam and 56 gallons of Class B foam. The UHP system operates at 90 gpm @1,200 psi using a 60 gpm bumper turret and two 15 gpm UHP handlines.
The ARFF vehicles include aluminum cabs and bodies, 1,500 or 3,000 gallons of water, 200 or 400 gallons of foam and 500 pounds of dry chemical. Both units operate with a 300 gpm UHP bumper turret (water, foam and dry chem capable), UHP handline, two 2.5-inch low pressure handlines, and a dry chem handline. The dual pump system operates at 320 gpm @ 1,350 psi in UHP mode and 250 gpm @ 150 psi in the stationary low pressure pumping mode.
Ultra-high pressure pumping capability offers the USAF a number of benefits which may have other uses in municipal, industrial and wildland firefighting as well which include:
• UHP uses only 1/3 the water and foam as traditional pumping operations
• Water droplets are smaller which increases surface coverage for quicker fire suppression.
• UHP mist can also act as a cooling agent in a room.
• Ultimately, less water and foam requirements yield a lighter GVW and lower apparatus cost.
KME is a leading custom manufacturer of a full range of specialty vehicles for military, industrial, commercial, aviation and municipal markets.
For more information, go to www.kovatch.com or contact us at [email protected]
