Special operations vehicle

Next came the ‘special operations vehicle’ (SOV), originally designed to provide the US Army Rangers with a rapid-reaction, air-portable all-terrain weapons platform. Believing that the ubiquitous HMMWV (Humvee) was too large, the Rangers had been impressed by the performance of the British Army’s Defenders during the first Iraq War and saw the SOV as a replacement for the M151A2 gun Jeep.

In 1991, Land Rover was approached with a specification for a vehicle which the Rangers believed would suit their needs. As with the DPV, it was based on the long-wheelbase four-door Defender 110, and was first seen in public at the 1992 Eurosatory Show in Paris. The Rangers took delivery of 60 examples in 1993, and the SOV was also offered to other defence customers.

The Rangers’ SOV, or RSOV, was powered by the 300 Tdi four-cylinder 2.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine, but the 3.5-litre V8 petrol engine was also offered. The permanent four-wheel drive system, transmission and long-travel coil-spring suspension were based on the standard Defender. Users were able to choose either a 24V 90Ah or 12V 65Ah electrical system, with optional radio suppression. There were no doors, windscreen or hood but, of course, there were considerable additional stowage facilities for ammunition, fuel, water also other tools and equipment.

A prominent feature of the design was the combined roll bar and weapons mount. Suggested armaments included two 30mm ASP-30 machine guns mounted in tandem at the rear, together with a third machine gun on the scuttle alongside the driver. The vehicle could also mount the Mk 19 40mm mortar launcher, 50mm or 81mm mortar, 0.50 calibre

Above: The rapid deployment vehicle on the 90 or llOin Wolf Defender or standard military Defender chassis. (PR)

Heavy machine gun, AT-4 Stinger, or Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle - the latter often described as the ‘Ranger anti-armor weapon system’ (RAAWS).

The vehicle was operated by a crew of three, driver, gunner, and leader/gunner, although

Land Rover claimed that the crew capacity was actually six men in the personnel carrier role.

Designed to be air-portable inside either a C-130 Hercules or CH-47 Chinook and EH-101 helicopters, the SOV could also be sling-loaded underneath a Chinook or Blackhawk, or para-dropped on a suitable platform. Lashing points allowed underslinging from standard NATO medium-lift helicopters such as Sea King or Puma.