Iconic motor dubbed ‘workhorse of the British army’ to be AXED after 75 years as MoD hunts new all-terrain vehicle
IT’S the end of the road for the iconic British Army Land Rover.
The 4×4 vehicle is set to be replaced as the UK government officially starts the search for new vehicles.
The Ministry of Defence are also looking to replace the Austrian-made Pinzgauer all-terrain vehicle, that has seen use as a troop carrier and firefighting resource.
Described as the workhorse of the British Army, the first batch of Series I Land Rovers were purchased by the military in 1949.
When the British Army purchased its first trial batch of Series I Land Rovers, it was initially designed as an all-purpose vehicle .
Various models have been incorporated over the years, with the Defender Wolf entering model service with enhanced capabilities in 1997.
The Defender itself is a symbol of British engineering excellence.
From the Series I with its 80-inch wheelbase and 50bhp petrol engine to the Series II with its rounded shoulders and upgraded two-and-a-quarter-litre engine, each iteration pushed the boundaries of design and utility.
Prince Philip used a Land Rover Defender as his hearse, which he personally designed over 16 years.
The Ministry of Defence published a call on Friday (10 Jan) for manufacturers to tender for the next generation of fighting vehicles.
The “open early engagement” describes “a requirement for the production, supply, in-service support and training for a Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) as part of the Land Mobility Programme (LMP).”
The process will explore multiple options, including delivery of a wheeled utility platform to modernise capability in roles currently filled by Land Rover and Pinzgauer with a “Common Based Platform” delivering warfighting roles across the Joint Force.
Tender details include the potential for an Off The Shelf (OTS) solution to meet the LMV requirement, as well as a call for life cost and cost of ownership of the transport.
In September 2024, the government announced a £71 million contract to extend the life of the armoured vehicle fleet, including the entire Land Rover and Pinzgauer fleet, until the end of the decade.
A Ministry of Defence announcement at the time said: “This will deliver greater value for money and fill the gaps of new vehicle programmes being delivered, maintaining capability in the interim.
They added: “The contract will help to maintain a fleet of more than 15,000 land vehicles for the next 4 years by consolidating former individual contracts, providing a new single point of contact.”
The request for replacement vehicle supply interest has been given a deadline of 21 February 2025.