North Defence has completed the delivery of a sixth heavy firefighting vehicle, to bolster the fleet of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES).
CEO and British Army veteran, Oliver North, made the 2,200km journey from North Defence’s Luxembourg innovation centre to Kyiv, to personally hand over the Rosenbauer Panther 8×8.
The airport crash truck – built for rapid response to large-scale incidents – will be used by rescuers who deal with the aftermath of Russian strikes, particularly on Ukrainian fuel depots, warehouses and infrastructure.
The mission was made possible through North Defence’s collaboration with the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence, and the Ukrainian Firefighters Foundation. Oliver made the journey to the capital in a Mercedes Vito van, which North Defence purchased and also donated to the charity.
With roots in frontline service and rapid-response engineering – dating back to 2008 – North Defence has a Trans-European presence, with an engineering innovation hub in Luxembourg and a best of British manufacturing facility in Yorkshire, UK.
The organisation combines real military experience with agile manufacturing and advanced technology, to deliver vehicles built for modern defence needs. Keen to ensure the fleet fully meets the demands of frontline operations, Oliver also personally navigated the Ukrainian Firefighters Foundation’s off-road driving and vehicle recovery course, while on-site with the unit.
Elaborating on the trip, he said: “These guys are operating in some of the toughest conditions on the planet. That’s why we try to get over there as often as we can, to gain an ever-deeper understanding of the modern battlefield.
“‘Agile’ is more than just a buzzword for us. We’re built to adapt rapidly, and there’s no more effective way to continually refine and optimise our production, than being alongside this unit in person.”
Just hours before the handover ceremony, a nearby ballistic missile strike acted as a stark reminder of the reality that these emergency responders – and the people of Ukraine – face on a daily basis.
“Despite an indescribable amount of adversity, the courage, resilience and determination of this community remains a constant source of inspiration,” Oliver concluded. “What began as a partnership four years ago, has evolved into a deep-rooted friendship. I continue to be in awe of this heroic team.”
North Defence last visited Ukraine in March to hand over a number of the firm’s light mobility vehicles (LMVs) and General Service Vehicles (GSVs) to the Ukrainian GUR Special Forces.