Sentinel 8x8
Category 9–10 ARFF major appliance with 17,000 L water capacity, twin-engine 8x8 TITAN chassis, and 7,200 L/min pump output for the largest commercial aircraft in service.
The Sentinel 8x8 is SIDES' highest-capacity ARFF platform, designed to satisfy the agent discharge rates and response-time requirements of ICAO Category 9 and 10 airports handling A380, B747-8, B777X, and equivalent ultra-long-haul wide-body operations. It is built on the TITAN T52-1300 chassis powered by two Mercedes engines — an arrangement that provides redundancy in drivetrain power and enables the 52-tonne gross vehicle weight to sustain NFPA-compliant 0–25 second acceleration without compromising stability.
The 17,000 L water tank, combined with a 500 kg powder unit propelled by N2 or CO2, covers the gross agent quantities specified in NFPA 414 for the largest aircraft categories. The SIDES SB 10.6000 pump delivers up to 7,200 L/min at 12 bar via direct PTO shaft drive — a pump-and-roll configuration that enables full-flow discharge while the vehicle is still approaching the aircraft, compressing the critical first-agent-on-fire interval. The SM 60 roof monitor delivers up to 7,000 L/min with a 100 m throw, allowing crew to begin applying agent before the vehicle reaches the minimum safe approach distance from a fuselage fire.
The Sides Ergo Cab accommodates up to five crew members and is engineered with no centre column, a low dashboard for maximum forward visibility, and large storage lockers in the cab for breathing apparatus. Vehicle height and width (3.7 m × 3 m) are held within standard airport road-passage envelopes while the 13.4 m length reflects the need for a full 17,000 L tank volume. All ground-level access to chassis and firefighting systems is tool-free, supporting the daily pre-deployment inspection cycle required at busy international hubs.
The Sentinel 8x8 is the appropriate specification for Category 9–10 international airports and will be assessed during tender evaluation alongside Rosenbauer PANTHER 8x8 and Oshkosh Striker 8x8 class competitors.
Technical specifications.
| Water tank | Up to 17,000 L |
| Powder unit | Up to 500 kg |
| Propellant | N2 or CO2 |
| Monitor throw range | 100 m |
| Max speed | 115 km/h |
| Acceleration | NFPA compliant (<25 s) |
| Length | 13.4 m |
| Height × width | 3.7 × 3.0 m |
| Crew capacity | Up to 5 seats |
| Chassis | TITAN T52-1300 8x8, twin Mercedes engines |
| Emissions | Euro 3 or Euro 5 |
| Pump (SB 10.6000) output | Up to 7,200 at 12 bar L/min |
| Roof monitor (SM 60) output | Up to 7,000 L/min |
| Operating weight | 52 tonnes |
Use cases.
- ›Primary ARFF major appliance at ICAO Category 9–10 international hub airports serving A380 and B747-class operations
- ›Lead vehicle in multi-appliance responses where 17,000 L on-board capacity covers the minimum agent quantity for the largest aircraft without a second appliance top-up
- ›Deployment at national flagship airports and new greenfield hub construction in the GCC requiring Category 9/10 ICAO certification
- ›Military strategic airlift bases operating C-17, A400M, or equivalent large-frame transports requiring ARFF coverage scaled to aircraft size
- ›Fleet renewal programmes replacing aging 8x8 crash tenders at airports with expanding wide-body slot allocations