British Army to Acquire SAS-Style Pickup Trucks in £2 Billion Modernization Effort
Defence ministers approve investment for new light military vehicles designed for rapid deployment and unconventional warfare tactics.
British troops will soon be equipped with powerful, 'SAS-style' pickup trucks as part of a significant £2 billion investment approved by defence ministers. These new vehicles are intended to replace the Army's aging Land Rover fleet and will be capable of deploying drones and electronic countermeasures.
The procurement aims to enhance the Army's ability to operate behind enemy lines and adapt to modern warfare challenges, drawing inspiration from historical special forces operations and contemporary tactics employed by Ukraine.
Sources indicate that the new vehicles, officially designated as 'Light Military Vehicles' (LMVs), are designed to be heavily armed and evoke the spirit of daring raids conducted by the SAS during World War II. The project is also being referred to informally as the 'Who Dares Wins' pick-ups, referencing the SAS motto.
General Sir Roly Walker, head of the British Army and a former SAS commander, is reportedly shifting the Army's doctrine away from conventional force structures towards more unconventional 'shoot and scoot' tactics. In addition to the pickup variant, a lightweight, re-shaped 'infantry squad' vehicle has been developed that can be easily transported by helicopter and parachuted to support special forces missions.
The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment is slated to be the first infantry unit to operate these new trucks when they deploy to Estonia next year, a location situated close to the Russian frontline. The first LMVs are expected to be delivered within the coming year, though a final contractor has yet to be selected from a shortlist of seven bidders by the Ministry of Defence.
An MoD spokesperson stated that the Light Mobility Vehicle program will provide thousands of modern vehicles to British soldiers, bolstering the nation's fighting capabilities while simultaneously creating opportunities for British businesses. A former Army officer, Jules Robson, commented that transitioning to a light, fast approach is a suitable adaptation for the current battlefield, though he cautioned that tanks still hold importance and their role should be re-evaluated rather than discarded entirely. He noted that while pickups are effective, they cannot match the firepower of a main battle tank.