For a long time the Land Rover has been the UK military’s vehicle of choice, yet over the years it just hasn’t kept up with the competition and is so outclassed that the Defender as we knew it is dead and has been replaced by an upmarket civilian version aimed fairly and squarely at the school run rather than any tactical use. That Land Rover have completely abandoned the niche it dominated for so long is baffling, they just didn’t react to market forces or the competition for decades and there was just too much ground to make up. Another factor is probably the change in ownership that was focused solely on the luxury SUV market.
The pick-up that killed the Land Rover?
The pick-up has become the vehicle of choice for everything from hill farmers to the Taliban, that may sound flippant but it’s a fact that these vehicles are supremely adaptable and rugged, whether you want to carry sheep or mount a heavy machine gun on it. They are already routinely hired in large numbers by the UK armed forces for non combat logistical and transport needs, so it seems only sensible to adopt a specific version for use across the UK armed forces.
UK MOD © Crown copyright 2023
Ricardo developed the Ranger HEX 6×6 conversion as a bolt-on system that adds a second rear axle which boosts the payload capacity and helps traction. The 6×6 version also incorporates a hybrid electric drive system, Ricardo describe it as:
The new variant utilises a robust and cost-effective mechanical drive system that provides a permanent all-wheel-drive solution for ultimate, sustained off-road mobility. The bogie style pivoting single leaf suspension offers improved wheel articulation for improved ride quality and traction. The system is also available in 6×4 configuration offering the same increase in payload using a cost-effective lazy axle arrangement.
A cost effective replacement for the Land Rover
This vehicle will replace the Land Rover and very likely the Pinzgauer, both aging vehicles that don’t really fit the needs of the modern miltary. The Ranger is adaptable and can be easily upgraded to military spec, it has a proven 3.0L V6 turbo diesel engine that can easily cope with the extra payload and towing capacity. It handles reliably across different terrain and can be adapted to many roles, at DSEI this year General Dynamics showcased a Ranger version integrating their military upfit system to support roles such as logistics, command and support. The 2025 Ranger Super Duty also had a Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) integrated onto the vehicle loadbay, the result of a development partnership between Babcock and ST Engineering.
The adoption of a proven and widely available civilian vehicle is the right choice for the British Army’s Light Mobility Vehicle Programme (LMV) “deliver a fleet of modernised, digitally enabled and adaptable protected mobility and utility platforms, that leverage the very best industry has to offer, providing the Joint Force with globally competitive platforms that meet the demand now, and in the future”.
Being a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) conversion the Ranger is cost effective, quick to deliver and represents a great example of just what the Land Industrial Strategy (LIS) can deliver – job creation, supply chain resilience and stable economic growth across the defence and automotive sectors. General Dynamics stress the “significant manufacturing, engineering, and support operations across the UK, this partnership represents a major investment in British industry.”
