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'Workhorse' Land Rover fleet to be retired from Army after 70 years

Thomas Mackintosh
News imagePA Media Members of a Brigade Patrol Troop, part of the Brigade Recce Force, who are an elite team within the Marine Commando Brigade, out in the northern Kuwaiti desert in their WMIK (Weapons Mount Installation Kit) Land Rover, which is based on the Land Rover DefenderPA Media

The British Army is to start retiring its Land Rover fleet after 70 years of service, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced.

Thousands of the iconic vehicles will start to be phased out over the coming months and the retirement will be managed in line with demand from the Army, the MoD said.

Plans are now under way to find its replacement, with the first new vehicles expected to be used by British soldiers by 2030.

Government minister Luke Pollard said: "The Land Rover and British Army share an incredible history and the image of a Landy in Army livery is truly iconic."

Land Rover vehicles have been a "trusted workhorse" for the British Armed Forces since their widespread adoption in the 1950s, the MoD said.

In 2025, more than 5,000 of them remained in service across the UK military.

The MoD said the retirement of the Land Rover marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the British Army's mobility capabilities.

News imageAFP via Getty Images King George VI inspected troops from an English Land Rover in October 1948AFP via Getty Images
King George VI inspected troops from a Land Rover in October 1948

Pollard added: "As we look ahead to the future of light mobility vehicles, it is fitting to pay tribute to this extraordinary fleet that has served our Armed Forces so faithfully.

"I'm firing the starting gun on the replacement vehicle competition, seeking to put a modern vehicle in the hands of our personnel."

Pollard was in attendance on Thursday for a special commemorative event held for the vehicles at Bovington, Dorset.

News imageAFP via Getty Images British airmen of the 51st Sqn Royal Air Force regiment observe a Chinook of the RAF joint helicopter force as it lifts a Land Rover vehicle and its trailer during a practice air assault operation design to capture an enemy airfield, at an undisclosed location in the desert outside Kuwait City.AFP via Getty Images
British soldiers watch on as a Chinook lifts a Land Rover vehicle during a practice air assault outside Kuwait City

"While the Land Rover's legacy will endure, the Army is now focused on ensuring its personnel are equipped with a modern, technologically advanced fleet to support future operations," the MoD said in a statement.

New light motor vehicles will offer opportunities to British-based businesses through vehicle support and maintenance, helping make defence an engine for growth, it added.

The MoD said that over the decades, several bespoke Land Rover models were developed exclusively for military use, including:

  • Series IIA Ambulance – Designed to carry four stretchers and a medic
  • Series IIA Pink Panther – Designed for use in the desert by the SAS, it was used for special operation missions and long-distance reconnaissance
  • Amphibious SIIA 109 – A prototype of a vehicle that could be used for sea landings
  • V8 Centaur Multi-Role Half-Track – Created with a track taken from the Scorpion light tank, it represented an attempt to merge a road vehicle with a tank