Land Rover and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) have been collaborating since 1954, and their partnership is about to become stronger, with the introduction of the new generation Defender.

The iconic 4×4 is set to be revealed later this year, but in the meantime, the British automaker continues testing it all over the world, with prototypes gathering more than 1.2 million km (745,645 miles).

A Land Rover Defender prototype was recently taken to the IFRC global fleet base in Dubai, where the Red Cross got a first taste of what is expected to be one of the best off-roaders in the market.

Also Read: 2020 Land Rover Defender Specs Revealed, Will Come With Three Body Styles, Six Engines

“The Red Cross supports millions of people in crisis every year, working in almost every country in the world”, said IFRC’ Team Leader for Global Fleets and Logistics, Ilir Caushaj. “We operate in some of the most hard-to-reach places on Earth, often working in very difficult terrain, so our teams have to be able to cope with anything. That’s why we’re proud to have partnered with Land Rover since 1954, and to be putting their new Defender to the test, as together they help us reach vulnerable communities in crisis, whoever and wherever in the world they are.”

The IFRC fleet experts drove the 2020 Defender in the desert, putting it through its paces in the challenging sand dunes and making it tackle some demanding slopes and blind crests in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Subsequently, the rugged SUV was taken to the Jebel Jais highway, demonstrating that it has proper on-road comfort and agile handling. Land Rover immortalized the vehicle’s UAE adventure with the Red Cross, and the video, along with a generous image gallery, can be seen below.