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 4x4 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.
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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.
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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.
