Crayford Cargocat

     Notes: This is a light cargo vehicle designed specifically for use by light formations in the desert. As such, it was an excellent vehicle for Kuwait, who bought hundreds of them, and some of them were subsequently captured and used by the Iraqis. It can mount a variety of weapons, and has even been tested with a quadruple Swingfire ATGM launcher.

     The main body shell of the Cargocat is of polyethylene polymer.  This is riveted to a steel frame, including into the main chassis. The internal chassis is also of high-strength steel. Steering is similar in concept to the M113A2 and uses right and left levers; pulling back on both levers brakes the vehicle. Unfortunately, this means that the gear cannot be changed while the Cargocat is in motion, however, the Cargocat is designed to operate primarily in high gear and gear shifts are seldom necessary. Low gear is normally needed only when doing a task like climbing a steep slope while carrying lots of cargo, or when towing a vehicle (the Cargocat can tow two tons). A kit is available that gives the Cargocat an enclosed body; these are simple canvas shells over a steel roll cage. A flip-down windshield is standard. It is possible to attach an outboard motor in the rear of the Cargocat; this is meant for increased water speed and operation, but negatively impacts performance when out of water due to unbalancing. A bilge pump is part of the Cargocat, and the vehicle may operate up to Sea State 3. Engines are designed specifically for the Cargocat, but the vehicle literature states that riding lawn mower or snowmobile engines can work just as well.

     The Kuwaiti variant is called the LRDP (Long Range Desert Patrol); it uses the 32-horsepower engine and has a larger fuel tank, as well as a 20-liter tank of refrigerated drinking water in the cargo bed.

Cobra Light Strike Vehicle (LSV)

     Notes: This is the British version of a FAV, designed for reconnaissance and airborne missions in hostile environments. There is a weapon mount on an overhead mount on the roll bar for an NLT/NMT/NHT-compatible weapon or ATGM. The Cobra may be sling-loaded or parachuted. The LSV is powered by a Volkswagen turbodiesel developing 95 horsepower, coupled with a manual transmission that has a crawler gear in addition to four forward and one reverse gear. The Suspension likewise includes a great deal of Volkswagen components. Fording is 50 centimeters, and it can negotiate a 50% gradient and a 50-degree side slope without overturning. It can cross a 1-meter trench. The LSV has switchable 4x2/4x4 suspension, and the axles have locking differentials. The entire underside has a light alloy bottom plate, protecting the components. This also muffles the IR and noise signature of the LSV. The sides and hood have brackets for equipment stowage.  The hood and most of the vehicle body are made of aluminum. The LSV will fit into a standard ISO 6.1-meter container and can be sling loaded beneath a variety of heavy and medium helicopters or carried and parachuted from most cargo aircraft.

     The LSV has some weaknesses from the SAS’s standpoint.  The suspension has been shown to be prone to damage with the kind of driving the SAS does, and it has too low a cargo capacity for extended missions. These weaknesses and a lack of long-range fuel tanks led the SAS to reject the LSV and only six were made; these six were later sold at public auction.

Escarco 2000 kg ATV

     Notes: This 8x8 all-terrain truck has an unusually tight turning radius, since the front and rear axles are both used for steering. The automotive components, except for the suspension, are slight modifications of those of the Land Rover 110. The cab has a heater and has a canvas sides and cover; the rear area has a canvas cover. Unusually, the passenger seats in the rear are bucket seats, but they only partially fill the load area. The normal overland travel is in 8x8 mode, but on roads the second transfer case could be uncoupled, and the vehicle will travel in 8x4 mode for greater road efficiency. The chassis are of steel and treated for corrosion resistance. Power is supplied by a Rover 3.5-liter gasoline engine developing 114 horsepower or a VM692HT diesel developing 150 horsepower. The RAF and Saudi Arabia use the gasoline engine, while Zimbabwe uses the diesel engine version. Towing is possible with a 4-ton limit. Fording is 50 centimeters; the Escarco is not amphibious, but can easily negotiate soft mud, sand, swamps, snow, and slush. Ground pressure when fully loaded is only 7.8 pounds per square inch, which is less than a fully loaded human. This is in part to the large, numerous tires.

     Several variants were cooked up, including an AAA carrier, a Combat Digger, a Weapons Platform, an APC, and an amphibious version. Only the Helicopter Field Service Vehicle variant was actually produced, and comprised several of the RAF versions.

Rolba Goblin

     Notes: This vehicle was built for the British Royal engineers to carry EOD equipment. It had to be a light vehicle, in order to be transportable by helicopter; Rolba Limited started with an Austrian riding lawn mower! The vehicle was fitted with a wide load-carrying platform and a better driving position. Beneath the decking is a cargo area and the automotive components. Construction is largely of aluminum, with a steel engine.  The Goblin has a 4x4 suspension, unlike other similar British Light Vehicles; this was also a weight-saving design, though it is not as maneuverable off-road as a Cargocat, for example. The Goblin can be sling-loaded from heavy lift helicopters in threes and fours, or loaded into them in twos. A parking lot’s worth can be loaded into a C-17. The Goblin is powered by a Citroen AZ-KA gasoline engine developing 28 horsepower, and has only two cylinders. (The engine is, essentially, the riding lawn mower’s engine, little modified.)

     The resulting vehicle is surprisingly useful, if not powerful.

Land Rover 1000 kg Truck

     Notes: Also called the One-Ton Land Rover or FC101, this is a small truck by Land Rover. It is used by the British Army and Air Force, Australia, Egypt, Iran, and Luxembourg, primarily for towing weapons systems such as light howitzers, field guns, heavy mortars, and surface-to-air missile launchers. Some are modified with 81mm mortars or Milan or Swingfire ATGM systems mounted in the truck bed. Some also have hard bodies and are used as workshop vehicles. The One-Ton was used by the British Paras and Commandos until the mid-1990s, and remained in service with some countries until the early 2000s.

     The Land Rover 1-Ton looked like a large vehicle, but when parked next to other large vehicles its compact dimensions become apparent, and it is only a little over four meters long. The Land Rover 1-Ton has a forward control cab and typically operates without the canvas cover for the rear or even without the cab side walls or roof, and with the windshield removed. Power is provided by a Rover V8 gasoline engine developing 128 horsepower, along with a manual transmission. It should be noted that while the vehicle is rated by the MoD at 1-ton capacity, the Paras and Commandos regularly carried 125%, 150%, or even 200% of this weight, while towing an 1800-kilogram artillery piece, over rough ground. Even when fully (over)loaded, the Land Rover 1-ton survived being parachute dropped.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle was being replaced by the Land Rover Defender 130 in British and Australian units prior to the Twilight War, but not enough of the latter vehicle was available to replace all of them.

Land Rover APLV

     Notes: Land Rover designed the APLV (AirPortable Light Vehicle), also known as the ½-ton Lightweight, to meet the requirements of British airborne, airmobile, and Royal Marines. It first appeared in the late 1960s, and the British military gradually began replacing these vehicles with the Land Rover Defender 90 and 110 starting in the late 1980s. The APLVs were then sent for duty in units such as the Gurkhas and in Commonwealth nations, as well as in Belize and some African countries. They were still in use by 2000 by Belgium, Brunei, Guyana, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Libya, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan as well as a large number of civilian collectors and concerns.

     The APLV is similar to other Land Rover designs, but much smaller. The APLV was designed so that it, in a stripped-down form, could be sling-loaded under a Westland Wessex helicopter, a standard British medium-lift helicopter of the time. (Removing the upper half of the sides, rear, and cab, along with the frame was required.) The design was also narrowed by 10 centimeters over the Series IIA Land Rover. The APLV could be powered by a Rover 4-cylinder gasoline engine developing 70 horsepower or a diesel variant of the same engine developing 62 horsepower. Towing up to 1.13 tons is allowed.

Land Rover Defender XD

     Notes: These Land Rovers largely replaced earlier models in European militaries and some other countries starting in the mid-1980s. They are basically military SUVs, with tough off-road characteristics and military features such as tow hooks, weapons mounts, starter switches, and other such things. They may have hard or soft tops. The Core Military Defender is an improved version of the Defender 90, with a strengthened frame, chassis, and suspension, and can be airdropped. The brakes are also improved. The Defender XD 90 is further improved, with a greater handling, cargo capacity, durability, and ergonomics. The XD 90 is available with a variety of Rover and Volkswagen engines, from four-cylinder to eight-cylinder, and both gasoline and diesel models. Towing for all models is 4 tons.

     The XD 110 is a somewhat larger version of the Defender 90. They have been offered since the mid-1980s, and many civilian sales were made, but military sales were slow until the early 1990s. The suspension has been upgraded, and ground clearance has been raised for better off road mobility. The Core Military Defender was the primary military version; interior comfort has been increased, the frame, chassis, and suspension are further strengthened, and a better transmission is fitted. The Defender XD 110 is a further improved version of the Core Military Defender, with increased handling, payload, and ergonomics, as well as improvements to ease maintenance.

     The XD 130 is an extended chassis version of the Land Rover Defender 110. There are a large number of variants of the 130 available, from cargo/troop carriers to command posts to work shops. Perhaps the most common variant is an ambulance version. It is otherwise similar to the 110 and 90.

Land Rover Defender SOV

     Notes: Known to the US military as the RSOV (Ranger Special Operations Vehicle), this vehicle was introduced in 1992, after the Persian Gulf War. The SOV (Special Operations Vehicle) is designed to meet a critical role in providing transportation for infantry, which can fulfill a multitude of ordinance needs and be inserted via several different modes. The SOV is capable of mounting a primary weapon in the center top spot (able to mount one NHT-compatible weapon or two NLT/NMT-compatible weapons), and another weapon in front of the front passenger seat (NLT/NMT). The SOV is capable of carrying a number of different items in internal racks, and can carry mortar ammunition, rockets, or ATGMs on side racks. Side bins are also standard to allow the vehicle to carry land mines or explosive charges. The SOV is capable of being carried inside aircraft such as a C-130, CH-47, or EH-101; it may also be slung under medium and heavy lift helicopters as well. (If all else fails, parachute or LAPES may drop it.) Initial prototypes used 3.5-liter gasoline engines, but these were quickly replaced by diesel engines developing 111 horsepower (the same as on the XD above), and the Defender SOV was in fact based on the Defender XD 110.

     It is notable that 60 or more examples of this vehicle were purchased by the United States for use by their elite Rangers. It is capable of being locally modified from stock Land Rover LWBs. Some models have been modified with armor inserts on the bottom to prevent damage from land mines, and optional armored doors, side plates, and ballistic glass are available. The SOV has become a popular vehicle in England where it was created, as well as in the US. Its flexibility in mounting any type of weapon makes it popular with the average grunt. The SOV was also used by Spanish special operations units to help safeguard visitors to the 1992 Summer Olympics, but they were kept largely out of sight to avoid panic. Other users include the Czech Republic, Israel, Portugal, and Turkey.

*Floor armor is 4Sp.

Land Rover 101 Forward Control

     Notes: Also known as the 101 Forward Control or Land Rover 101FC, this is basically a heavy, cabover-design Land Rover truck. It is constructed largely of aluminum to make it lighter and has an adjustable seat for the driver. The cab tilts forward for access to the engine and transmission, but regular maintenance can be carried out without tilting the cab. The cabover design allows for a larger load area and less wasted space on transport aircraft. The 101FC is powered by a 3.5-liter Rover V8 gasoline engine developing 131 horsepower.  It can tow 4 tons. Brakes are power assisted, as well as steering. 101FCs were built in right and left-hand drive versions. The drive train has a central locking differential. Under the passenger seat in the cab is a lockable compartment.

     At first not sold to civilians, the 101FC was later sold as military surplus.  Some of these vehicles were put into storage immediately, and very low miles 101FCs could be had. When first produced, the 101FCs were all soft-top/canvas topped vehicles, though several were later rebuilt with hard tops for roles such as ambulances, electronic warfare vehicles, communications vehicles, and workshops. The original 101FCs were designed as towed gun tractors. A specially detailed 101FC of the Life Guards Regiment carried the coffin of Louis Mountbatten from his funeral as Westminster Abbey to Waterloo Station. 31 101FCs were fitted by Land Rover with the stylized body shells used by Judge vehicles in 1995’s Judge Dredd (the one with Sylvester Stallone).  The backstory stated that Land Rover was the only surviving ground vehicle manufacturer in 2139. Several of these versions still exist in drivable condition and often make appearances at Land Rover events.

Saboteur Trooper

     Notes: This light amphibious vehicle looks very much like a wheeled metal raft. They were originally built to a Royal Marine specification, but the Royal Marines passed on it and the only buyers were Iraq and Nigeria. (Two were tested by the British in the Falklands as Milan ATGM carriers.)

     The Saboteur Trooper is an 8x8 vehicle propelled in the water by a propeller; the propeller can only engage or disengage and there is no reverse. Steering is by twist grips instead of a wheel or tillers, and there is somewhat of a learning curve to operate the Trooper. The vehicle has a central post for a weapon. The vehicle can carry cargo as heavy as a four-round Swingfire ATGM launcher, or a variety of weapons ranging from light machineguns to ATGM launchers such as the Milan, or carry seven fully equipped troops. The driver and two passengers sit at the front, the rest of passengers or cargo in the center, and the engine is at the rear. The engine is a Volkswagen 127 gasoline-burner developing 73 horsepower; an alternate Volkswagen engine developing 77 horsepower may be fitted. Other engines tested or considered include Ford 65-horsepower and 78-horsepower diesels. An optional long-range fuel tank may be fitted; this has a capacity of 109 liters and an additional cost of $54. Construction is largely of aluminum.

Stonefield CCV

     Notes: The CCV (Cross-Country Vehicle) was designed to produce a light truck able to take a great amount of abuse, be highly mobile both on and off-road, be easy to drive even for inexperienced drivers, and to use then-new concepts such as antilock brakes and all-wheel drive. The original CCV prototypes were built in 1975, with production examples first appearing in 1978 and going to civilian concerns. In 1982, the sole military customer, Malaysia, began receiving their CCVs, and this order was completed in early 1986. Since then, the Stonefield company has changed hands several times, but has continued to produce the CCVs for civilian use, and is also a leader in research into new heavy vehicle subsystems.

     The CCV has a chassis which is flexible but torsionally rigid, and is not the traditional ladder-type frame which most vehicles of its type have. This allows off-road mobility on a lower suspension. The CCVs have either 4x4 (P-5000M) or 6x4 (P-5000) suspensions, with all-wheel drive, traction control, antiskid features, and antilock braking. The transmission is fully automatic, and steering is power-assisted. The trucks may be built with left or right-hand drive, depending upon the customer. A large number of different bodies and specialist equipment may be carried in or in place of the cargo bed. The cab is of the cabover type, and may be all-metal (using a tubular steel frame with sheet aluminum panels), or have a canvas roof. The doors may be metal and permanently attached, or canvas and removable. The side windows may be permanent or removable. The windshield may be upright or folding. The rear cargo area has a tailgate and removable bows with a canvas tilt. The engine is mounted below and behind the cab; the standard engine is a gasoline-powered Chrysler 318M 150-horsepower engine, but Stonefield has been known to fit other engines at customer request. Though the drive is 4x4 or 6x4, only one-third of the engine power goes to the front wheels, with the rest going to the rear wheels. This arrangement means that the all-wheel drive may remain engaged at all times, and increases the efficiency of the traction control and antiskid features. Other options include air conditioning, auxiliary fuel tanks, high-efficiency air filters, spotlights, and headlights whose pointing direction may be controlled or vary with the steering direction.

Alvis Supacat

     Notes: This light vehicle is produced by Great Britain and used by that country and Mexico. It is a 6-wheeled ATV designed for use by airborne, airmobile, and Marine units. The Supacat has an amphibious capability and can be fitted with tracks for soft snow or mud. Although the Supacat floats, it has no power to propel itself in water other than rotation of the tires. Supacats can be used for troop transport and as light weapons carriers, and can tow light field guns and trailers. ATGMs, recoilless rifles, machineguns, grenade launchers, and 60mm and 81mm mortars can be fired from this vehicle. A weapons mount for a machinegun or automatic grenade launcher is provided behind the front seats. The Supacat may be overloaded to 2.4 tons, traveling at half-speed at this load.  The Supacat can tow 2.1 tons and a specially designed trailer was devised using Supacat components that can haul 400 kilograms. The Supacat can be sling-loaded under heavy and medium-lift helicopters and parachuted or LAPESed from aircraft; alternately, the Supacat can be double-stacked inside transport aircraft. The Supacat is largely constructed of aluminum body panels and tubular frames. Power is provided by VW Audi 1.588-liter diesel engine developing 54 horsepower, and coupled with an automatic transmission. (The Mk 3 has a Volkswagen ADE 1900 turbodiesel developing 78 horsepower.) The steering and brakes are power assisted.

Transcraft 1600PL Privateer

     Notes: Similar in concept to the Cargocat and Trooper, the Privateer is a very simple vehicle, with a small engine compartment up front, a basic set of twin seats up front in a very simple driver position, and a rear area which is mostly a flat bed, with a small sunken box-like area behind the front seats. The cargo "bed" is surrounded by a tubular framework, with roll bars behind the seats and extending to the front. The body of the Privateer is made from reinforced glass-fiber composites with molded-in color of the buyer’s choice. The chassis is steel, and the suspension is 8x8 and each axle has independent suspension. The brakes are designed so that the Privateer may steer in almost the same manner as a tracked vehicle’s pivot steering; the Privateer may in fact turn completely around inside of its own length of 2.74 meters. The Privateer is powered by a Reliant 848 gasoline engine developing 40 horsepower. Options include a passenger seat beside the driver’s seat (which may be folded or removed entirely), an enclosed cabin (which is also made from glass-fiber composites), a reinforced roll cage, a windshield, and a tow hitch. The Privateer was bought in small numbers by the British MoD, but is believed to no longer be in service.