- GDLS, Ford, and Ricardo form a bid for the UK LMV contract.
- The pitch includes militarized 4×4 and 6×6 Ford Ranger builds.
- The six-wheeled conversion is based on the Super Duty chassis.
Just a few months ago, Ford revealed that military and government agencies across Europe and North America were discussing adapting commercial trucks for defense operations. An example is the midsize Ford Ranger, which is one of the proposals for the UK Ministry of Defense’s Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) program.
Back in 2023, we covered a militarized six-wheeled variant of the Ford Ranger with a hybrid powertrain as a product of a collaboration between engineering firm Ricardo and Ford. Three years later, a new company joins the team. We are talking about the UK arm of General Dynamics Land Systems, the ground-combat and tactical vehicle division of American aerospace and defense giant General Dynamics Corporation, first bought to our attention by The Drive.
More: Toyota Hilux Transforms Into A 6×6 Military Truck Ready For Battle
General Dynamics UK / Facebook
The company promised that the three partners will deliver a “proven, scalable and cost-effective solution”, adding that their conversion “meets the British Army’s needs while creating significant export opportunities and maximizing value for the UK taxpayer”.
The UK Ministry of Defence is looking to procure approximately 2,500 light utility vehicles to replace its aging fleet of Land Rover Defenders and the ancient Steyr-Puch Pinzgauers by 2030, as part of a £4.8 billion ($6.5 billion) initiative. As reported by Defense Blog citing trade publication Army Technology, evaluation trials are scheduled to run between October 2026 and January 2027. The modified Ford Ranger is one of the entrants alongside the Land Rover Defender Wolf Series II and other proposals from General Motors and Ineos.
General Dynamics UK / Facebook
Photos shared by General Dynamics on social media and by Ford on its From The Road blog show two examples of the Ford Ranger with different levels of modifications. The first pickup appears to be based on the Wildtrak trim with a bull bar on the front bumper, a sports bar on the rear bed, and a custom military wrap.
More: Ford Made A Fire-Fighting Ranger Super Duty That Runs Its Pumps On Sunshine
The other build is more interesting as it rides on six wheels. While the bodywork of the prototype looks like the entry-level XLT trim, the chassis is sourced from the more capable Australian-developed Ford Ranger Super Duty.
Under the hood lies a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel producing 206 hp (154 kW / 209 PS) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque, combined with a hybrid system. Ricardo has previously shared information about a rear-mounted electric motor contributing 282 hp (210 kW / 286 PS) of power in 6×6 and 6×4 configurations.
Ford
The truck is equipped with steel underbody armor, a heavy-duty transfer case, locking front and rear differentials, and a heavy duty suspension giving it almost 300 mm (11.8 inches) of ground clearance and water wading capability of 850 mm (33.5 inches).
More: Ford Turns The Ranger Super Duty Into A $65K Premium Workhorse
It also has a towing capacity of 4,500 kg (9,921 lbs), a payload rating of 1,982 kg (4,370 lbs), and a Gross Train Mass rating of 8,000 kg (17,637 lbs). Finally, the interior features third-party tactical mission software integrated into the standard 12-inch infotainment display.
The automaker has confirmed that the turbodiesel engine is manufactured in London, and the hybrid system in Halewood. Furthermore, its Dunton facilities are home to the commercial vehicle engineering, technical development and conversion design, while Daventry is the central logistics and parts distribution hub.
Besides the prototypes, Ford has shown various military variants of the Super Duty, including enhanced protection, mission systems, troop carrying, utility, light tactical, equipment support, and battlefield ambulance vehicles.
