46 new Euro VI Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 specially adapted fire appliances are on their way to volunteer fire services in Germany as they tackle increasing numbers of forest fires.

MAINZ, Germany – The German federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have started to take delivery of 46 new Euro VI Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 forest fire pumper vehicles, equipped with Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmissions, following a Europe-wide open tender.

LSTE Brandenburg, a state school and technical facility for fire and disaster protection, and the central police service of the state of Brandenburg specified and ordered the bespoke vehicles on behalf of the ministries of the interior for the purpose of fighting increasing numbers of wildfires in rough terrain. Both states have large, forested areas and have experienced numerous, and in some cases devastating, forest fires in recent years. As former military training areas with the possibility of ammunition in the ground (legacies of former ammunition depots from the Second World War), firefighting efforts are significantly hampered.

The Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 has a TLF-W body type ‘Brandenburg’ from Czech body builder, THT Polička. It is powered by an Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission and a 6-cylinder Euro VI Cummins diesel engine rated at 291 kW (390 hp). The 18-ton truck reaches a maximum speed (limited) of 100 km/h (62 mph).

The all-wheel drive delivers off-road capability at all times. The TLF-W has a water passage capability of 110 cm and is able to drive through water up to 110 cm. It has a remarkable gradient-climbing capability of 78%, equivalent to approximately 38 degrees. The extinguishing water tank holds 4,800 litres and an additional 180 litres of foam compound. The pump-and-roll function enables extinguishing operations to continue while the vehicle is in motion.

Following successful testing and approval, the first vehicle was handed over to the Kolkwitz municipal fire brigade on February 8^th at Tatra Force’s manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic. Eleven vehicles are destined for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and 35 for Brandenburg, where they will complement the existing fire appliances of the volunteer fire departments.

The LSTE required these special vehicle properties in order to maximize the vehicle’s robustness, off-road capability and power, while at the same time providing enhanced control and comfort for the crew. Moving an 18-ton truck quickly and efficiently in extremely rough terrain requires complete transfer of engine power and torque to the wheels. Allison’s fully automatic transmission with its patented torque converter and uninterrupted full-power shifts delivers excellent acceleration and continuous traction.

“We absolutely depend on uncompromising performance and safety,” said Maurice Kuhnert, Head of Technology at LSTE. “Drivers must be able to trust the performance of the vehicles and be in control of them at all times. A fully automatic transmission makes the work for our volunteer emergency services much easier. The intelligent transmission logic thinks for itself and supports the driver both on the road and, above all, off-road.”

“In recent years we’ve had an increase in large forest fires, which requires more of these powerful special vehicles”, said Maurice Kuhnert, Head of Technology at LSTE. “The forested area in Brandenburg is approximately 1.09 million hectares which represents about 37% of the state’s total surface area. Large parts of it are already considered at high risk of forest fires and climate change has not even been taken into account. We expect the new TLF-W to be significantly more effective in fighting fires and to relieve our emergency services.”

The Allison 4500 Series™ fully automated transmission is supplied to Tatra and supported by NIMDA, the official Allison Authorized℠ distributor for the Czech Republic.

“We recommend fully automatic transmissions for such vehicles, especially since the fire crews are often volunteer firefighters with comparatively little driving experience”, said Stephan Marker, Area Sales Manager at Allison Transmission. “The easy and straightforward operation of the vehicles and the jerk-free driving simplifies the job of the drivers immensely. They do not have to change gears and can concentrate fully on the task. Allison’s patented torque converter multiplies engine torque during start-up and acceleration. And when changing gears, there is no interruption in traction, but a seamless transfer of power to the wheels.”

The integration of body and pumping equipment is also crucial to the overall efficiency of a firefighting vehicle. “Having an Allison transmission in the drive train enables the chassis, body and pump to operate together efficiently,” said Lars Friedrich, Sales Manager Germany for THT Polička / TATRA Trucks at the German Tatra distributor Friedrich GmbH und Co. KG. “In addition the torque converter powershift transmission enables the Cummins engines to unleash their full torque. As a result, the Tatra Force chassis can implement uncompromising traction and acceleration to emergency vehicles.”

Allison fully automatic transmissions have demonstrated outstanding reliability and robustness in the toughest conditions and as a result are used by numerous fire departments worldwide.

Overview Tatra Force 815-7 4×4, TLF-W with Allison 4500 Series™ fully automatic transmission and THT body

 March 7th 2022

Images for editorial purposes

Image – The German federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will receive 46 new forest fire pumper trucks (TLF-W) on Tatra Force chassis with Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission in 2022.

Image – Lars Friedrich, Sales Manager Germany for THT Polička / TATRA Trucks at the German Tatra distributor Friedrich GmbH und Co. KG said: “Having an Allison transmission in the drive train enables the chassis, body and pump to operate together efficiently.”

Image – Following a Europe-wide open tender, LSTE Brandenburg and the central police service of the state of Brandenburg have ordered on behalf of the ministries of the interior of the two federal states 46 identical vehicles on Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 chassis with Euro VI standard, THT body and Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission.

Image – The Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 as TLF-W body type Brandenburg from the Czech body builder THT Polička is powered by an Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission and a 6-cylinder diesel engine with Euro VI emission standard.

Image – The Tatra Force 815-7 4×4 as TLF-W body type Brandenburg from the Czech manufacturer THT Polička is powered by an Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission and a 6-cylinder diesel engine with Euro VI emission standard.

Image – The new firefighting trucks have specifically been designed to fight wildfires in rough terrain and will complement the existing fire engines.

Image – LSTE Brandenburg opted for the Allison 4500 Series fully automatic transmission with torque converter and continuous power transfer to the wheels instead of an automated manual transmission (AMT). The deciding factors were improved acceleration and excellent off-road capability.

About Landesschule und Technische Einrichtung für Brand- und Katastrophenschutz (LSTE)

The “Landesschule und Technische Einrichtung für Brand- und Katastrophenschutz” (LSTE), which was established in 1998, is an important part of the emergency response of the state of Brandenburg. It has demonstrated its capabilities in several major emergencies (forest fires in 1992/93 and 2018-2020, Oder floods in 1997, Elbe floods in 2002 and 2013). The LSTE contributes significantly to the operational performance of the fire departments as well as the disaster control units and their emergency equipment in the state of Brandenburg. The technical department of the LSTE is responsible for the procurement of vehicles and equipment needed for fire and disaster protection in Brandenburg. LSTE’s main focus in this regard is the preparation of the appropriate specifications, taking into account the current technological developments.

About Alison Transmission

Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, and a leader in electrified propulsion systems that Improve the Way the World Works. Allison products are used in a wide variety of applications, including on-highway trucks (distribution, refuse, construction, fire and emergency), buses (school, transit and coach), motorhomes, off-highway vehicles and equipment (energy, mining and construction applications) and defense vehicles (tactical wheeled and tracked). Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. With a presence in more than 150 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil, manufacturing facilities in the USA, Hungary and India, as well as global engineering resources, including electrification engineering centers in Indianapolis, Indiana, Auburn Hills, Michigan and London in the United Kingdom. Allison also has more than 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.