The experts of the Research and Development Center KAMAZ jointly with the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters designed two latest prototypes of emergency tenders based on KAMAZ trucks of the K5 generation.
More than a dozen models of fire-fighting equipment based on KAMAZ trucks are used in emergencies to this day. But they were built on chassis of the K3 generation. At the same time, the EMERCOM requests more advanced and improved chassis meeting all requirements both of Russian and global standards.
“To make vehicles for the needs of EMERCOM is a very important activity of KAMAZ PTC. Therefore, as part of cooperation with EMERCOM, jointly with their institutions, directly with fire-fighting departments, vehicles were developed already on the K5 generation chassis. A water tender ATs-4,0-50/4 and an aerial ladder AL-42 became the first prototypes,” told Deputy Chief Designer of KAMAZ PTC for Vehicles Igor Valeev.
The water tender ATs-4,0-50/4 is built on the KAMAZ-63934 chassis with a wheel arrangement 4×2 to carry a crew of 6 people to the site of the fire. The enhanced payload of the chassis raised the volume of carried water from 3.2 cbm to 4.0 cbm. The hood hides a fuel-efficient straight six-cylinder engine compliant with Euro 5 emission standard, of 310 hp capacity, and of 6.7 l volume. The gearbox is automated, 9-speed, PTO-driven.
The new K5 day cab complies with all modern global requirements to ergonomics and comfort. It is equipped with a digital automated control system encompassing all basic systems of the fire truck. The crew’s compartment is made of steel framed fiberglass. The inner lining is made of ABS plastic panels. The highly comfortable cab is spacious, with safety and eco-friendly finishing, comfortable seats, indirect heating and careful aeration.
The fire-fighting superstructure is a weldless frame made of special aluminum profiles with glued aluminum plates. Such a rigid and rustproof construction can contain a large amount of firefighting and rescue equipment, and also easily change the equipment of the body of special and basic firefighting vehicles adapting to possible requirements alterations.
The firefighting vehicle with LED alarm lights is 8 m long, 2.55 m wide, and 3.5 m high. The GVW is 19 tonnes. The truck is equipped with up-to-date firefighting and rescue special equipment: mobile diesel generators, smoke exhaust devices, hydraulic rescue tools. To extinguish fires, there is a foam tank with a capacity of 240 l, except a water tank. The mixture is delivered at the speed of 50 liters per second. The preferred throw range is 100 m, and the maximum range is 400 m.
The aerial ladder AL-42 is also based on the 4×2 dual-axle chassis KAMAZ-63934. The key properties of this chassis is a localized in Russia fuel-saving inline 6-cylinder engine of 6.7 liters, 310 hp, compliant with Euro 5, an automated 9-speed gearbox, a hypoid axle for axial load of up to 13 tonnes.
The vehicle is 11,500 mm long, 2,500 mm wide, 3,750 mm high. The GVW equals to 22 tonnes. The enhanced payload of the chassis makes it fit for various types of firefighting high-altitude equipment.
The superstructure of the vehicle is an aluminum carcass covered with aluminum sheets without welding. The operational height of the ladder is 42 m, the angle of continuous rotation of the ladder is no less than 360°, the payload of the cradle is no less than 400 kg. The vehicle is equipped with a system of computer stabilization and other innovative solutions.
These two prototypes are currently undergoing finishing works. After field tests, the vehicles will be offered to firefighting departments of EMERCOM.