The history of military Land Rovers
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Many of the Land Rovers used in Northern Ireland
during the conflicts had considerable extra protection
If the windows were not removed, they were often covered by a strong steel mesh
Fully equipped military Land Rovers can
carry a considerable amount of armaments
The 101 Forward Control Land Rovers entered service in 1975 and were primraily made for carrying and towing purposes
Young British soldiers learn to drive Land Rovers at a
challenging off-road course at RAF Leconfield in Yorkshire
The Carawagon Land Rover was used as an "upmarket" mobile-home for senior officers when they were away from base
The Royal Air Force has used Land Rovers for
mountain rescue purposes for more than 50 years
Members of the Territorial Army demonstrate how
a very basic Land Rover can be quickly assembled
Multimedia stories from history
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Promotional film for the prototype
half-tracked Centaur Land Rover
It wasn’t long after the launch of the first production Land Rovers in April 1948 that the armed forces saw the potential of these powerful, "go-anywhere" mobile workhorses.
This was not that surprising as they were initially modelled on the American Jeep which had proved so successful during the last few years of World War 2.
It was the British armed forces which first purchased Land Rovers when the Ministry of War placed an initial order for 1,878 vehicles in May 1949, with more orders quickly following.
The early military Land Rover were very similar to the civilian models, but once the armed forces saw the true potential of the vehicles, all sorts of modifications began to be introduced.
Gradually, armed forced across the world began to purchase Land Rovers in increasing numbers to the extent that they became one of Britain’s major motoring exports, as well as a familiar sight in conflict areas across the globe.
Rescue and emergency
But while many military Land Rovers were specifically adapted for combat, many were also used (and specially modified) for rescue and emergency purposes -including everything from hepling rescuers reach trapped climbers in remote mountain ranges to carrying injured troops across inhospitable terrain to get urgent medication at distant hospitals.
Pink Panthers
Of the many different types of military Land Rovers, one of the best known has been the "Pink Panther" which was acquired by Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS) in 1968 for long-range desert duties. Seventy two vehicles were purchased and were especially painted pink as it was believed this would ensure the best camouflage in the terrain they were going to
work in. The vehicles were virtually stripped of any nonessential items, such as, roof, doors and windows, while additions to the standard vehicles included 4
petrol tanks which provided 100 gallons of fuel in readiness for the long journeys which were envisaged. Once the rest of the fighting kit was added, the weight of the vehicle was nearly ½ ton heavier than a standard production model.
Another highly unusual military Land Rover was developed for the Australian armed forces. This was the heavy-duty, six-wheeled, Perentie, which was used in many areas where Australian troops were deployed from the 1980s onwards. They were supplied in soft-top, hardtop and station wagon variations and were still being used in the early part of the 21st Century.
In Northern Ireland during the worst of the troubles, the British armed forces used a large number of specially modified Land Rovers in their efforts to try and maintain law and order. In particular, these vehicles had extra protection all around them to minimise the chances of damage to the bodywork or the occupants if the vehicle was involved in an ambush or other terrorist activity.
Half-tracked
But while there have been many variations of military Land Rovers which have gone into service, there have also been a number of prototypes which were developed, but never actually produced. One of the most remarkable was the half-tracked, Centaur Land Rover, which was made by the Laird Company in Anglesey in the late 1970s. They believed that a hybrid vehicle which combined a standard Land Rover with tracks at the back instead of wheels (similar to the tracked vehicles which had been used in World War 2), would create a machine which could travel along very difficult terrain much faster than anything else available. But while seven vehicles were produced and demonstrated across the globe, there were never any orders and the project was never developed further.
Nowadays, while Land Rover still see sales of their vehicles to the armed forces as a very important part of their business, in the wider world, they are more keen to emphasise the peacekeeping and life saving role their vehicles can play -rather than overtly promote them as serious pieces of armament which can be easily modified to cause substantial harm.
The "Pink Panthers" were developed for the SAS in 1968 and became one of the most recogniseable of all military Land Rovers
Only a small number remain and most are
now housed in motoring or military museums
The Centaur half-tracked Land Rover was conceived as a military vehicle which could get to places others couldn't reach
Military Land Rovers have always been
marketed much differently to standard models.
These days, old military Land Rovers have become
one of the main attractions at Land Rover shows
A "snatch" Land Rover on duty in Iraq in 2003. This vehicle is protected by composite fibre glass designed to stop rifle fire.
A Land Rover in use by the Australian armed forces in Vietnam in 1968
Airportable "Lightweight" Land Rovers were first
made for the British military in the late 1960s
Land Rovers have long been
used for troop inspection purposes
Many military Land Rovers have been specially modified as ambulances
A Land Rover specially created to work
where land mines were a potential hazard
Duration of video: 4 mins. 52 seconds
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