Key highlights
- Land Rover has developed the Defender Wolf Series II as a next-generation Light Mobility Vehicle for the UK Armed Forces.
- The vehicle has undergone 62,000 tests and is designed around a modular architecture capable of supporting multiple military roles.
- The proposed programme could replace up to 9,500 legacy vehicles, with at least nine different variants planned.
Land Rover is taking the Defender into a very different kind of battlefield. The company has unveiled the Defender Wolf Series II, a military-focused version developed to compete for a major UK Ministry of Defence programme.
New fleet for the British Army?
The British Armed Forces are looking to replace as many as 9,500 older vehicles across multiple fleets. The requirement is centred around a modular Light Mobility Vehicle that can be adapted for different roles, making flexibility just as important as off-road capability.
The Wolf Series II builds on the long association between the Defender and the British military. The original Defender Wolf has been in service with the British Armed Forces since the mid-1990s and continues to support operations around the world.
What is new?
For the new generation, Land Rover has created a dedicated Defender Defence Division. The vehicle has reportedly completed 62,000 tests, while its chassis and body have been engineered to withstand JLR’s Extreme Event Test procedure. During demonstrations at a Ministry of Defence testing facility, the Wolf Series II was reportedly the only vehicle to clear all the designated obstacles.
Unlike the original Wolf, which was based on a traditional body-on-frame Defender, the new vehicle uses the modern Defender’s D7x monocoque architecture. However, the platform has been heavily modified for military requirements.
The rugged hardware includes a heavy-duty steel front bumper with skid plate, high ground clearance, steel wheels with high-aspect-ratio all-terrain tyres, a roof-mounted cargo rack, spare-wheel carrier and raised air intake for deep-water wading.
Flexible usage
Modularity is central to the project. The proposed military vehicle family is expected to cover at least nine configurations, including general-purpose, tactical mobility, utility, enhanced protection and battlefield ambulance variants. Troop transport, equipment support, command and control and mission systems vehicles are also part of the requirement.
Four versions are expected to be showcased at the British Army DVD event later this month: utility, ambulance, tactical mobility and general mobility variants.
Land Rover has not revealed the powertrain details yet. Military-specific requirements could also include protected electrical systems and reduced thermal or electromagnetic signatures, although these details have not been confirmed.
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