Firetrucks & Associated Firefighting Equip

The Firetrucks & Associated Firefighting Equipment line item (LI 7000D15800) in the Army's FY 2026 budget is dedicated to the procurement of non-tactical fire trucks and related emergency response vehicles. The primary objective of this program is to ensure that Army installations and units across all regions have the necessary firefighting and emergency response capabilities to protect personnel, infrastructure, and critical assets. This procurement is essential for maintaining operational readiness, supporting homeland defense missions, and providing military support to civil authorities during emergencies.

The program specifically targets the replacement of over-aged or unserviceable fire trucks and the filling of equipment shortages at Army installations. Many of the vehicles being replaced are considered unsafe, unable to respond effectively to emergencies, or uneconomical to repair. The Army's fire and rescue vehicles are required by all Installation Management Command (IMCOM) regions including Atlantic, Central, Pacific, Korea, and Europe as well as other Army Commands and reporting units. The procurement is not tied to a fixed Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) but is instead a rolling replacement and recapitalization effort based on current needs and operational priorities.

The program includes a variety of vehicle types, each serving specific operational roles. These include Structural Pumpers for building fires, Ladder Trucks for high-reach operations, Airfield Crash Trucks for aircraft incidents, Brush Tankers and Wildland Trucks for forest and grassland fires, Mobile Water Supply trucks for water transport, Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) and Rescue Trucks for specialized response, and Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) for rapid deployment. The program also provides Sentinel Command and Control (C2) Vehicles and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) systems to enhance command and control capabilities for U.S. Army North in support of civil authorities and homeland defense.

Procurement for FY 2026 is planned at 51 non-tactical fire trucks. The specific mix of vehicles to be procured is determined annually based on operational requirements and priorities reported by Army Commands. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in Philadelphia serves as the primary contracting office, with procurements also occasionally sourced through the General Services Administration (GSA) or overseas vendors. Multiple contractors are typically involved, reflecting the commercial nature of most fire truck types and the need for flexibility in specifications.

Each vehicle type is procured to commercial standards with only minor modifications for Army use, which helps control costs and leverage existing industrial capacity. The FY 2026 procurement plan includes 19 Structural Pumpers, 13 Airfield Crash Trucks, 9 HAZMAT/Rescue Trucks, 7 Brush Pumpers, and 3 Mobile Water Supply Trucks. The program also includes funding for program management and support costs to ensure effective oversight and execution of the procurement process.

Justification for this line item is grounded in statutory requirements, specifically Section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 110-181), which mandates that such equipment be available for both active and reserve components for homeland defense and domestic emergency response. The vehicles procured under this program are essential not only for Army operations but also for supporting local communities in times of crisis, such as responding to natural disasters, hazardous material incidents, and large-scale accidents.

The Firetrucks & Associated Firefighting Equipment program is a critical enabler of Army and joint force readiness, installation safety, and interagency emergency response. By systematically replacing aging vehicles and addressing equipment gaps, the Army ensures that its installations and units remain capable of responding to a wide range of emergencies, thereby safeguarding lives and property both on military bases and in surrounding communities.