British Army retires Land Rover vehicles from its fleet, marking the end of an era : NPR
The British Army has retired Land Rover vehicles from its fleet after 70 years of service.
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The British Ministry of Defense will stop purchasing the military version of the Land Rover, which was a staple of the British army. However, civilian models are not going to disappear. Willem Marx reports the end of an era for a military workaholic.
WILLEM MARX, BYLINE: First developed in the late 1940s, the Land Rover represented a radical departure from traditional automobile design, built to be tough, flexible and easy to repair, as celebrated in British newsreels of the time.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: A few years after the war, the Rover Company produced the Land Rover, the most versatile wheeled vehicle ever made. This total break with usual automobile manufacturing surprised the world.
MARX: The vehicle quickly proved popular with the British Army, entering service in the 1950s and subsequently being deployed in conflict zones, peacekeeping missions and training exercises around the world. Until recently, its appeal was based on its simplicity, according to Major Donald Urquhart of the British Army’s 154th Regiment Royal Logistics Corps.
DONALD URQUHART: These vehicles are still very successful because they are not equipped with any electronics. So, on the ground, during operations around the world, you won’t have the support of a workshop like in the UK. It is therefore absolutely essential to have vehicles that can be repaired with limited resources and parts.
MARX: But that same simplicity could now be part of the problem. British defense officials say the Land Rover fleet, some of which are now decades old, is increasingly costly to maintain and lacks the protection and technology that today’s battlefield demands. The military is phasing out Land Rovers in favor of newer vehicles with advanced armor, digital systems and greater firepower.
Yet for many soldiers and fans, retirement marks the end of a distinctive chapter, a vehicle that has become synonymous with British forces from deserts to disaster zones, as well as British royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II, a long-time Land Rover user. After more than seven decades of service, Land Rover’s time on the front lines is coming to an end. But its legacy as the most durable military vehicle ever built will likely last much longer. For NPR News, my name is Willem Marx.
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