Wasserwerfer_10000

Wasserwerfer 10000

Wasserwerfer 10000

Water cannon used for riot control, based on Mercedes-Benz Actros chassis

The Wasserwerfer 10000 (WaWe 10, literally "Water Launcher 10000") is a water cannon used for riot control developed by Rosenbauer on the Mercedes-Benz Actros chassis for the Federal Police (Bundespolizei) and Bereitschaftspolizei in Germany. Named for its 10,000 litres (2,600 US gal) water capacity, it is the successor to the Wasserwerfer 9000.

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History

Wasserwerfer 10000 pictured on the left beside its predecessor, the Wasserwerfer 9000

The need for new water cannons for the federal and state police of Germany was first discussed at the 2005 Innenministerkonferenz; some older Wasserwerfer 9000s, previously criticised for safety concerns,[3] were due to be retired following the 2006 FIFA World Cup that would take place across Germany.[4] Following a tendering process by the Federal Ministry of the Interior's procurement agency [de], the contract to build these new water cannons was won by Austrian fire engine manufacturer Rosenbauer in 2008, and development of the Wasserwerfer 10000 commenced.[5]

The first prototype Wasserwerfer 10000 was handed over to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 2009,[2] and the first production examples were delivered to state police forces in Hamburg, Berlin, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg between 2010 and 2011. The Wasserwerfer 10000 is built on the Mercedes-Benz Actros 3341 tri-axle truck chassis with an armored angular body, preventing rioters from climbing onto the roof and projectiles from damaging it, and is equipped with a polycarbonate shatter-proof windshield. Three spray nozzles aimed with integrated closed-circuit television cameras and controlled by joysticks are positioned on the roof; two on the front and one on the rear of the truck. Loudspeakers are also equipped. The vehicle is operated by a crew of five police officers.[2][6][7]

A total of 78 Wasserwerfer 10000s were ordered by police forces across Germany throughout its production run, replacing 117 Wasserwerfer 9000s in a replacement scheme lasting until 2019.[5][8] As of 2020, following a total of 15 operated by the Bundespolizei, the largest operators of Wasserwerfer 10000s include the states of Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia, both operating six of the type, and Berlin and Bavaria, who operate five.[9] Wasserwerfer 10000s have been used in a number of protests and riot control scenarios, including a large deployment at protests during the 2017 G20 Hamburg summit.[10]

The effectiveness of the Wasserwerfer 10000's polycarbonate windshield was questioned in 2014 following an incident in a Thuringia state police training exercise, in which mock rioters damaged the windshield by throwing plastic bottles, eggs and tennis balls at it.[11][12]

References

  1. [1]
    Stillich, Sven (2 December 2009). "Die Angstmaschine" [The fear machine]. Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Frankfurt. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  2. [2]
    Rüffer, Michael (27 November 2009). "Wasserwerfer von Rosenbauer" [Water cannon from Rosenbauer]. Feuerwehr-Magazin (in German). Munich. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  3. [3]
    ""Nur naß werden, das juckt die nicht"" ["They don't care about getting wet"]. Der Spiegel (in German). Hamburg. 20 July 1986. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. [4]
    "Weniger Wasserwerfer" [Fewer water cannons]. Der Spiegel (in German). Hamburg. 27 November 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  5. [5]
    Monroy, Matthias (13 October 2010). "Mit Hochdruck gegen Ungehorsam" [High pressure against disobedience]. Telepolis (in German). Munich. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Protestors Beware, the New €1 Million Mercedes-Benz-Based Water Cannon 10000 will Soon be There..." Carscoops. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  7. [7]
    Garlitos, Kirby (24 December 2009). "Mercedes WaWe10 is a rioter's worst nightmare". TopSpeed. Miami. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  8. [8]
    Stillich, Sven (7 December 2009). "Der Nassmacher" [The Wet-Maker]. Der Spiegel (in German). Hamburg. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  9. [9]
    Semsrott, Arne (11 March 2020). "Hamburg bleibt Wasserwerfer-Hauptstadt" [Hamburg remains the water cannon capital]. FragDenStaat (in German). Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  10. [10]
    Prothero, Mitch (7 July 2017). "Water Cannons Vs. The Black Bloc: The Story Of The G20 Protests". Buzzfeed News. New York City. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  11. [11]
    "33-Tonnen-Wasserwerfer durch Eier beschädigt" [33-ton water cannon damaged by eggs]. Die Welt (in German). Berlin. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  12. [12]
    "Polizisten beschädigen eigenen Wasserwerfer" [Police officers damage their own water cannons]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Frankfurt. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
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