MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan - With the December 2012 opening of the Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, which uses Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni’s runway, Marines from Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting are responsible for responding to any conditions that may occur on the airfield. The addition of another terminal comes the need of more assistance and equipment.
That assistance comes in the form of two Morita Airport Crash Tender MAF-125 vehicles.
The large MAF-125 provides Marines with equipment to fight any type of fire with the push of a button. Several of the truck's functions can be controlled by panels on the outside of the truck and inside the cabin.
The panels control the flow of water to specific discharges on the truck, whether it’s the hand lines, turrets or the under-truck nozzles.
“The operating system definitely helps when it comes to manpower,” said Sgt. Hector Reyes, station ARFF and MAF-125 operator. “The MAF-125 holds three Marines instead of four and can be operated with less people, which is a plus.”
One of the main components to the vehicle is the water turret mounted atop the vehicle, which can be operated by a remote control from inside the cabin or manually in case of mechanical failure.
“The turret pumps out more than 3,000 gallons of water in a minute,” said Reyes.
In addition to the turret on the roof, the MAF-125 is equipped with under-truck nozzles that produce a blanket of foam so it can make a path for vehicles and emergency response personnel.
“This vehicle is able to put out almost any fire,” said Reyes. “Whether it’s a crash or any other type of fire, this truck has what it needs to put it out.”
The Morita MAF-125 provides the needs of combating any emergency that may occur on the airfield, making a valuable addition to the ARFF’s firefighting arsenal.