The end of of the British Army’s association with the iconic Land Rover marks a huge change for the vehicle – that was even used as a hearse in Prince Philip’s funeral
The iconic British Army Land Rover is set to be replaced – marking the end of an era. After 76 years of service, the Government has announced they are searching for new vehicles to be brought into use by 2030.
A call to manufacturers to tender for the next generation of fighting vehicles was put out last Friday (January 10). The Ministry of Defence is also looking to replace the Austrian-made Pinzgauer all-terrain vehicle, that has seen use as a troop carrier and firefighting resource.
Famously, Prince Philip used a Land Rover Defender as his hearse, which he personally designed over 16 years. The news comes as another blow to Land Rover after their Range Rover model was one of the most stolen vehicles in England and Wales.
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.
Described as the workhorse of the British Army, the first batch of Series I Land Rovers were purchased by the military in 1949.
Various models have been incorporated over the years, with the Defender Wolf entering model service with enhanced capabilities in 1997.
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