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56-732: The Land Rover Wolf is a light military vehicle manufactured by Land Rover in the United Kingdom (UK), based on the Land Rover Defender , introduced in 1994 . The Ministry of Defence (MoD) designates the Wolf ;90 (short wheelbase) as Truck Utility Light (TUL) HS, and the Wolf 110 (long wheelbase) as Truck Utility Medium (TUM) HS, where HS stands for 'High Specification'. Land Rover calls it eXtra Duty (XD). The 1992 Snatch Land Rover , fitted with composite armour for ballistic protection, does not use

112-612: A "fifth of the fleet" of WMIKs was currently "damaged or has been destroyed by enemy fire". The MoD has sold off most of the fleet of Wolf 90 Land Rovers because the Bowman radio system is too heavy for it. The 110 version remains in service. The Wolf was tested, rejected, upgraded, and tested again, before the Ministry of Defence was satisfied. It is far stronger and more reliable than the Land Rover Defender on which it

168-405: A 'periscope' snorkel, waterproofed electrical systems and instruments, and prepared with grease and graphite lubricant on practically every moving part, these versions can run with the entire vehicle submerged if needed. The tailgate is held open by struts to allow water into the vehicle to prevent it floating away, and to allow water to rapidly drain after reaching the shore. In training exercises,

224-417: A damaged tire, placing the compact spare on a non-drive axle will prevent damage to the drivetrain. If placed on a drivetrain axle, the smaller-diameter tire can put stress on the differential causing damage and reducing handling. The early days of motor travel took place on primitive roads that were littered with stray horseshoe nails. Punctures (flat tires) were common, and required the motorist to remove

280-475: A mixture of 12 and 24 volt FFR variants, their powerplants being either the standard Td5 turbodiesel engine, or some 3 litre BMW units. The contract was cancelled in late 2004 after the German government opted for one with Mercedes Benz who supplied their G-Class (the military version is also called 'Wolf') in various forms, and a small number of these last batch vehicles were imported and immediately sold-off to

336-435: A mounted and inflated spare tire meant the motorist could exchange it quickly for the punctured tire that could then be repaired at a more convenient time and place. The pre-mounted spare tire and wheel combination proved so popular with motorists that carrying up to two spare tires became common. Automakers often equipped cars with one or dual sidemounts. The spares were mounted behind the front fenders as they blended into

392-627: A rapid deployment vehicle concept. Some models were initially used in Sierra Leone in Operation Palliser . The first production vehicles were made in 2002 as prototypes to demonstrate to potential clients. Typically, the vehicle will carry one 12.7 mm Heavy Machine Gun (HMG), 7.62 mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), or on occasion the MILAN ATGM , on the rear ring-mount, with an additional pintle-mounted GPMG on

448-467: A result of addition of armour, for the purpose of crew protection. Designs for modern light military vehicle platforms have to balance manoeuvrability, speed, weapons capability, survivability and transportability – all of high importance to ground troops in operations. Civilian adaptations of the Willys MB and Land Rover were the first sport utility vehicles , and some SUVs such as

504-465: A special heavy duty matting system was designed for the Wolf by 'Wright Off-Road'. These mats weigh approximately 30 kilograms (66 pounds), and consist of mats to cover the footwells and transmission tunnel. Not all Wolfs have these mats. The Wolf soft top is made of PVC , and the rear flap is fastened either by zippers and Velcro , or by Dutch lacing down the sides, and elasticated straps to cleats on

560-421: A steering guard, to offer improved cross country capability. To keep in line with MoD policy to simplify the stores chain, Wolf vehicles were fitted with 24 volt electrics. This meant supply of simple electrical items such as bulbs was now the same as the rest of the vehicle fleet. FFR (fitted for radio) variants gained a second alternator specifically to power the signals equipment. A rear body roll cage

616-411: A stiff sheet of cardboard lies on top of the spare tire well with the trunk carpet on top of it to hide the spare tire and provide a pleasant look to and a flat surface for the trunk space. Other storage locations include a cradle underneath the rear of the vehicle. This cradle is usually secured by a bolt that is accessible from inside the trunk, for security. This arrangement has advantages over storing

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672-556: A very flat, smooth underbody, rear axle portal geared hubs, and a rear-mounted engine for mobility. Early American dune buggies were also based on the Volkswagen, and the Desert Storm-era Desert Patrol Vehicle evolved from the dune buggy configuration for combat use. The Volkswagen Schwimmwagen featured a bathtub-like unitary boat-body and propulsion screw. The Jeep was similarly adapted as

728-435: Is generally a misnomer , as almost all vehicles actually carry an entire wheel with a tire mounted on it as a spare rather than just a tire, as fitting a tire to a wheel would require a motorist to carry additional, specialized equipment. However, some spare tires ("space-saver" and "donut" types) are not meant to be driven long distances. Space-savers have a maximum speed of around 50 mph (80 km/h). When replacing

784-476: The 404 of 1953 to the Fighter of 2004 carried a full-size spare wheel and tire in a pannier compartment built into the left-hand wing. This not only increased luggage space and allowed easy access to the spare without having to unload the trunk but improved weight distribution by keeping as much mass as possible within the wheelbase and balancing the weight of the battery , mounted in a similar compartment in

840-542: The Chevrolet Blazer have been used as military light utility vehicles. The importance of this kind of military vehicle was summed up by General Eisenhower , who wrote that most senior officers regarded the jeep as one of the six most vital U.S. vehicles in World War II . Moreover, general George Marshall called the jeep “America’s greatest contribution to modern warfare.” Similar vehicles are among

896-764: The Ford GPA "Seep", but was never as successful as the Schwimmwagen, which became the most mass-produced amphibious car in history. Unlike the Kübelwagen , the Schwimmwagen was equipped with four-wheel drive, and with its super-smooth underbody and portal geared hubs front and rear, arguably the most capable light German off-roader in World War II. The Soviet Union produced the GAZ-64 based largely on

952-821: The GAZ-69 , until that series was replaced by the UAZ-469 commander jeep which was introduced in 1971. In the 1960s, China's Beijing Automobile Works produced its own "jeep", the Beijing BJ212 which was largely a Chinese copy of the Soviet UAZ-469B. Often called the “Beijing Jeep”, the BJ121 was widely used in both military and civilian service in China, with over 200,000 produced by end of production in 1983. In May 1983, American Motors Corporation (AMC) agreed to allow

1008-586: The German government placed an order for a fleet of Land Rover Wolf vehicles for security and law enforcement forces. The fleet consisted of high capacity pick-ups, vans, and station wagons. All fleet vehicles were ordered in Bonatti Grey with white roofs (last batch vehicles had grey roofs), and the electrical systems were kept to a minimum with all luxury items such as electric windows, heated seats, radar detector omitted for simplicity. Vehicles were supplied as

1064-675: The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle which would be designed to be armored from the outset, with the smallest 4-person payload capacity class corresponding to the traditional jeep role. In 1948, the British Land Rover was developed. Originally intended to be a civilian and agricultural successor to the Willys Jeep (the prototype Land Rover was built on the chassis of a Willys and used Willys transmission parts but production vehicles used no Jeep components)

1120-478: The Korean War in 1951. Contemporary vehicles may come equipped with full-size spares, limited use minispares, or have run-flat capability. Spare tires in automobiles are often stored in a spare tire well – a recessed area in the trunk of a vehicle, usually in the center, where the spare tire is stored while not in use. In most cars, the spare tire is secured with a bolt and wing-nut style fastener. Usually

1176-587: The Phantom Badger , in response to the aging Humvee fleet, which was too large for newer aircraft to feasibly carry. The Humvee platform represented a paradigm change in the U.S. military – abolishing the dichotomy between the small quarter-ton rigs, and the various other, larger "light" trucks, after more than four decades. Intended to replace all of the Army's 1 ⁄ 4 -ton to 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 -ton vehicles with one single chassis,

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1232-626: The Snatch and Pinzgauer ATV in some utility and liaison roles, and the Supercat MWMIK . There were reports that some of this equipment was to be sold at below cost once operations in Iraq were completed as the Treasury had refused to cover the cost of replacement. In Afghanistan, "an average of one of these vehicles a week" was lost to enemy action, and with replacements often arriving late,

1288-627: The Warrior infantry fighting vehicle . Following a spate of incidents, there has been concern that the unarmoured nature of the Wolf exposes the crews to excessive danger, and they are being supplemented by more heavily armoured vehicles such as the Vector , the Mastiff , and the Jackal . The Ministry of Defence (MoD) later supplemented the Wolf in theatre with a range of armoured vehicles, including

1344-502: The 300 TDI for the Wolf because the electronics in the Td5 were more complex to manage in the field. The 300 TDI on a Wolf uses a slightly different design of timing cover compared to the civilian version. The testing was extremely rigorous, and Salisbury axles kept breaking. The axle was therefore redesigned using stronger internals, hubs, and outer casing, making one of the strongest Land Rover axles ever made. The fibreglass roof

1400-527: The HD wheels available on Defender at the time. Aftermarket wolf wheels are available and are a popular conversion. Experience from the pre Wolf military Defender showed that full jerry cans were dangerous and too tight in the lockers, the unusual shaped doors were simply to take full jerry cans more easily. They were never meant to be watertight. The Wolf 90 does not have side lockers but does have mountings to carry jerry cans internally. Wolfs are equipped with

1456-660: The Land Rover was brought into military service in 1949, eventually becoming the standard Light Utility Vehicle for the British Army and many armed forces of the Commonwealth and displacing the purpose built and more expensive Austin Champ . The original Land Rover design evolved into the modern-day Land Rover Defender which is still in military service throughout the world. About 1953 Russia replaced its GAZ-67B by

1512-546: The REMUS project, the Ministry of Defence upgraded its Wolf fleet with Front Roll Over Protection System, rear retracting seat belts, Wright off-road front and rear anti vibration acoustic matting, wax injection of chassis / bulkhead, and chassis underseal . Later upgrades were made, with the first one in 2006, 2009, and 2010. Another upgrade made in 2011, has resulted in the designation RWMIK+ , with R meaning 'Revised'. This

1568-792: The US jeep design, succeeded by the GAZ-67 and GAZ-67B, until ca. 1953. The U.S. revised its jeep into the Willys M38 and M38A1, which was used in the Korean War. It was followed in 1960 by the M151 jeep , which was designed with Ford. By the mid-1980s, this role would be taken over by the larger and heavier Humvee , which would be used as a combat vehicle in Iraq. The United States also purchased Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicles based on commercially available light trucks. U.S. forces are currently defining

1624-452: The cradle would get in the way of the rear axle on most rear or four wheel drive cars. A similar arrangement is also often found on trucks where the spare is often stored beneath the truck bed. Many sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and off-road vehicles have the spare wheel mounted externally – usually on the rear door, but others may mount them on the roof, the side, or even on the bonnet (hood). In mid-engined and rear-engined cars,

1680-674: The factory had two outriggers in the middle of the chassis instead of just one on a standard Wolf chassis. The second outrigger is to take the extra load of the gun mounting. Many WMIKs were converted from Wolfs and kept one outrigger. The chassis on all Wolfs was sprayed internally with Dinitrol rust-proofing wax fluid. Goodyear G90s were designed for the project, and strengthened on the sidewalls in testing. The Michelin tyres were felt to be better, but more expensive; and classed as an approved second choice as used on Winterised / Waterproofed Wolfs. Goodyear G90 tyres have been in service on military vehicles for over 20 years. Wolf wheels were

1736-468: The first half of the twentieth century, when modernisation of armies meant replacing horses and other draft animals through mechanisation, as well as increasing mobility of the infantry, to gain an essential tactical advantage. In 21st century missions, small arms fire and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continuously pose highly dangerous threats to mobile infantry, and the military's lightest utility vehicles have frequently become heavier and larger, as

Land Rover Wolf - Misplaced Pages Continue

1792-587: The front passenger side. According to Ricardo, it can be modified to install a GIAT 20 mm cannon. In late 2006, the MoD announced it was purchasing forty new belt-fed Automatic Lightweight Grenade Launchers (ALGL) made by Heckler and Koch ( HK GMG ), that can fire up to 360 grenades per minute, with an effective range of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 miles), and a maximum range of up to 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles); they are to be mounted on WMIKs in Afghanistan . In

1848-427: The front round tube going through the main chassis walls as it is more costly to tool and produce although it is stronger. The chassis wasn't galvanised to avoid the additional cost. There were also unfounded Health and Safety (H&S) concerns about the gases involved in welding a galvanised chassis, due to the fact that supplying correct respiratory protection to welders would negate this problem. WMIKs made from

1904-695: The general public. These distinctive vehicles (as well as their high level of equipment, they are painted in the TransGlobal's gold livery) are desirable expedition vehicles, and several have been used on long-range trips by private owners, including Land Rover's own Fifty 50 challenge, and the Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition . Small numbers of ex-military Wolfs have also entered the civilian market. These are usually examples that were crash-damaged in military service and auctioned off, to be rebuilt by their new owners. In 2003,

1960-621: The jeep, the U.S. also produced some 330,000 half- and three quarter-ton Dodge WC series trucks, in a wide range of variants. Together, the Willys and Ford jeeps, and Dodge's WC-series trucks made up nearly all of the WW II U.S. light vehicle output of almost a million (~988,000) units. In World War II, Germany used the Volkswagen Kübelwagen for a similar role. It only had rear-wheel drive, but could take advantage of light weight,

2016-659: The location of their workshop on Stepney Street In Llanelli) and started marketing the wheel in Britain, Europe, and the British Empire and colonies. The word "stepney" is sometimes used interchangeably in countries that were once part of the British Empire such as Pakistan , Bangladesh, India , and Malta . The first to equip cars with an inflated spare wheel-and-tire assembly were the Ramblers made by Thomas B. Jeffery Company. The Rambler's interchangeable wheel with

2072-453: The most common military vehicles in armies of most nations. In 1939, the U.S. Army began standardizing its general-purpose trucks by limiting procurement to five chassis payload classes, from 1 ⁄ 2 -ton to 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ton, but the army was "to use commercial trucks with only a few modifications such as brush guards and towing pintles .." However, in 1940 the categories were revised. A new, lightest chassis, "quarter-ton" class

2128-761: The private market. [REDACTED] Media related to Land Rover Defender in military service at Wikimedia Commons Military light utility vehicle Worldwide, and since the earliest large scale mechanisation of the military, hundreds of different light vehicles have been used for military utility service, ranging from readily available commercial products, just repainted in military colors, to purpose-designed tactical vehicles, that were specially developed for military applications and operation in forward areas. Light utility vehicles are typically general or multi-purpose, used to carry troops, staff, (mounted) weapons, supplies, evacuate wounded soldiers, and many other diverse roles. Military light utility vehicles originated in

2184-412: The resulting 3-ton Humvee became much larger and heavier than the jeeps, and inspired a new generation of vehicles, used in similar military roles. Spare wheel A spare tire (or stepney in some countries ) is an additional tire (or tyre - see spelling differences ) carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat , has a blowout , or has another emergency. Spare tire

2240-411: The running boards (a narrow footboard serving as a step beneath the doors). In 1941, the U.S. government temporarily prohibited spare tires on new cars as part of the nation's World War II rationing strategy, which led to quotas and laws designed to force conservation, including rubber that was produced overseas and difficult to get. A similar ration prohibition was also implemented by the U.S. during

2296-613: The same 'heavy duty' chassis. The Wolf was marketed in other countries than the UK, but many foreign military Land Rover procurement agencies felt they did not need the extra strength and reliability of the Wolf because the older models had passed their own testing, and Wolf was too expensive. The vehicles have become a symbol of British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan . In keeping with their hearts and minds philosophy, they were chosen for patrol duties instead of armoured fighting vehicles such as

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2352-560: The same chassis and transmission upgrades, identical drivetrains, and the same Defender-based front bodywork. A variant of TUM is the Weapons Mount Installation Kit (WMIK, pronounced 'Wimik') for use as reconnaissance and close fire support vehicles. WMIKs are manufactured jointly by Land Rover and Ricardo Vehicle Engineering , and feature a strengthened chassis and are stripped down, fitted with roll cages and weapon mounts. Initial development started in 1997 as

2408-439: The satisfactory completion of contractual negotiations, I propose to place an order with Land-Rover for about 8,000 vehicles. That order is worth about £170 million. It will bring substantial industrial and employment benefits to Land-Rover, and enhance the vehicle's already excellent prospects in export markets." When the Wolf was designed, the diesel engine in the civilian Defenders was the Td5. The Ministry of Defence preferred

2464-591: The spare tire is generally stored in the front boot. Some vehicles stored the spare tire in the engine bay, such as the Renault 14 , First generation Fiat Panda and older Subaru vehicles, such as the Subaru Leone . Vehicles like the Volkswagen Beetle used spare tires for ancillary purposes such as supplying air pressure to the windscreen washer system. Many models of Bristol cars - those from

2520-427: The standard Defender chassis, even though it looks similar. The side walls are standard, most of the rest is bespoke. The additional rear load bed mounting was to take increased weights as the standard chassis kept punching big dents in the rear floor. Chassis made after the production run (service chassis) are slightly different, later ones have a triangular reinforcement behind the front outriggers, none of them have

2576-473: The standard Wolf chassis and suspension upgrades), combined with expedition gear, such as winches , a roof rack , roof-mounted tent, roll cage , etc. A hydraulic power take-off system was also fitted, intended for powering the vehicles across the Bering Strait on catamaran rafts. The expedition was cancelled only days before the planned departure date, and most of the fleet were auctioned off to

2632-447: The tailgate. The Ministry of Defence procured at least 97 different versions; the basic versions are: Waterproofed versions have a snorkel that allows the vehicle to wade through water up to windscreen level. Winterised versions are fitted with an engine fluids heater to pre-warm the engine, a heated windscreen, and heaters in the rear cabin. The Royal Marines operate the waterproofed version for amphibious assaults. Fitted with

2688-443: The tire inside the trunk, including not having to empty the contents of the trunk to access the wheel and this arrangement may also save space in some applications. However it has disadvantages because that tire gets dirty, making the act of changing the tire more unpleasant and the mechanism may also rust on older cars, making it difficult to free the spare. The cradle arrangement is usually only practical on front wheel drive cars, as

2744-593: The updated BJ2020S to use the 85 hp engine of the XJ Jeep Cherokee . The latest Chinese light utility will be the BJ2022JC 'Brave Warrior', built by Beijing Benz-Daimler Chrysler Automobile Co. Adapted from existing Mercedes Benz designs, the BJ2022JC will carry 0.7 ton , with a wheelbase of 110 inches, and has an independent suspension system with a 101.5 kW 3.2 L turbo-charged inter-cooling diesel engine. In 2014, Boeing and MSI Design designed

2800-466: The vehicles are operated in depths so that the driver's head and shoulders are clear of the water. Alongside the HS / Wolf programme, the MoD ran a design project for a new battlefield ambulance vehicle, known as Project Pulse. This was also won by Land Rover, with a version of the ultra-long wheelbase Defender 130. Whilst not officially a 'Wolf', the 130 ambulances (with bodies by Marshall Aerospace ) used

2856-428: The wheel from the car, demount the tire, patch the inner tube , re-mount the tire, inflate the tire, and re-mount the wheel. To alleviate this time-consuming process, Walter and Tom Davies of Llanelli , Wales , invented the spare tire in 1904. At the time, motor cars were made without spare wheels. The wheel was so successful that the brothers started their own company, Stepney Spare Motor Wheel Limited, (named after

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2912-575: Was based. James Arbuthnot , the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement , testified to the rigorous trials the Land Rover went through prior to being adopted in the British military: "The Land Rover vehicle, known commercially as Defender XD, has been subjected to extensive and rigorous trialling in order to ensure that it can meet the high standards of reliability which are essential for operational military vehicles. Therefore, I am pleased to have been able to announce earlier today that, subject to

2968-466: Was far simpler to manufacture over the raised height of the roof-bars than the Defender aluminium roof. The production was outsourced. Everywhere else where Land Rover tried to mount the spare wheel caused the mountings to break free, and it was too heavy for the bonnet. There are three versions of mounting: soft top, hard top, and quick release. The chassis is considerably different in design to

3024-457: Was fitted in all conventionally bodied vehicles, and some Wolfs were later upgraded with an extra front roll cage. It is worth noting that this 'roll cage' is not mounted to the chassis, merely the rear body tub, and has questionable benefit were the vehicle subjected to being rolled over. The specially designed ambulance bodied Wolfs have no such protection. To reduce noise and heat from the transmission in compliance with health and safety rules,

3080-487: Was introduced, at the bottom of the range, and the 1 ⁄ 2 -ton category was supplanted by a 3 ⁄ 4 -ton chassis – both were classified as "light" trucks; 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -tonners were considered "medium". The Willys MB Jeep of World War II used by the U.S. Army is probably the most widely known vehicle of this class. Over 640,000 Jeeps were built for World War II , and they inspired many vehicles similar in layout, or function. Besides

3136-414: Was made in response to incident where British WMIKs were being targeted by insurgents through IEDs and rocket launchers. A fleet of Wolf-specification Defender 110 hard-top models were built for the proposed Land Rover TransGlobal expedition in 1998. These vehicles were essentially arctic-prepared military models (with 24-volt electrics, convoy lighting, military-spec air intakes, internal insulation, and

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