In depth: Competition for British Army vehicle programme heats up, despite more delays

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) was due to issue a Request for Information (RFI) in November, but Shephard understands that this will be delayed, with multiple industry players now anticipating an RFI in the new year.

The LMP is currently divided into three categories: Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV), Light Protected Mobility (LPM), and Medium Protected Mobility (MPM). Looking to consolidate 13 vehicle types into a single platform per category, with ideally a high degree of domestic manufacturing, the programme will cover the procurement of potentially 10,000 vehicles.

With an estimated £3.7 billion (US$5.1 billion) worth of contracts to be awarded across the three categories, it is one of the UK’s largest unawarded programmes. A big challenge for companies positioning their vehicles on the starting line is that many of the requirements are not solidified.

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Four companies line up for LMV

The smallest of the three categories, the LMV is intended to replace the UK’s ageing fleet of Land Rovers and Pinzgauers, of which Shephard believes there are at least 6,000.

MoD requirements state that LMV contenders must have a maximum gross vehicular weight (GVW) of 3,500kg. The largest of the LMP components, intended to replace the oldest fleet of vehicles in UK service, work on the LMV commenced in January 2025 when the MoD launched a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to explore the possibility of acquiring an off-the-shelf solution.

There are currently four competitors bidding for the LMV: Babcock, Team Lionstrike, Thales and Rheinmetall.

Babcock is bidding with the General Logistics Vehicle (GLV), a militarised Toyota Land Cruiser 70. There had been a threat to this effort with Toyota trying to step back from involvement in a military programme but negotiations between the two companies led to a change of tack allowing the platform to remain in the process.

With an established presence in the UK, Babcock is aiming to provide a light multipurpose vehicle specifically designed for the LMV. It is also offering the GLV on a joint ticket with the Patria 6x6 in the MPM category.

Team Lionstrike consists of GM Defense, NP Aerospace and BAE Systems. Collectively, they are offering the General Support Utility Platform (GSUP) unveiled at DSEI earlier this month. The vehicle is a variant of GM’s Infantry Squad Vehicle which is already in service with the US and Canadian militaries. The GSUP weighs 3,500kg and features a modular design intended to allow it to perform a range of mission types.

Team Lionstrike intends to leverage its existing UK facilities through NP and BAE as well as GM’s global logistics network, with the aim of quickly delivering a platform with a high percentage of UK-sourced content.

Thales is believed to be offering the Hawkei as a contender for both the LMV and LPM. Hawkei is currently being operated by the Australian army. With a gross vehicle weight of 10,400kg in certain configurations, however, it would be significantly heavier than the MoD’s stated requirements and thus unlikely to be successful within the current LMP framework.

Rheinmetall is offering both the Caracal and a Caracal derivative, currently unnamed but referred to as a new tactical vehicle at DSEI 2025, as joint contenders for the LMV.

The lightest Caracal configuration weighs 3,200kg, with the new model believed to be a similar weight, thus coming in below the MoD’s weight limit for the LMV.

Rheinmetall has developed the new tactical vehicle with a ‘UK-first’ approach in mind, by treating the PME in January 2025 as an RFI and designing the vehicle specifically for the UK.

This approach includes sourcing 50% of the components from the UK and tailoring its specifications to British Army needs, including a modular rifle compartment designed for the SA80, which can be easily replaced to accommodate the finalised Project Grayburn.

Rheinmetall is also hoping to leverage the recently signed Trinity House Treaty between the UK and Germany to improve the attractiveness of a German vehicle manufactured in the UK.

Replacing canines and a big cat

Initially launched at DVD 2024, the LPM aims to replace a wide variety of vehicles, including Panther, Foxhound, Coyote, Husky and Jackal 2/3. With a maximum vehicular weight of 10,000kg, the LMP will replace approximately 2,000 vehicles.

There are five contenders believed to be interested in the LMP: Thales, Supacat, Urovesa, AM General and NP Aerospace, and NMS UK.

As mentioned before, Thales is believed to be offering the Hawkei for the LPM as well as the LMV. Its weight would indicate that it has a better chance with the LPM than the LMV, as certain configurations would be within the MoD’s stated requirements.

Additionally, Thales is also offering the Bushmaster in the MPM category, allowing it to present the MoD with logistical savings by opting for a joint ticket approach.

Supacat is offering three platforms for the LPM: the HMT 400, the HMT 600 and the Armoured Closed Cab (ACC). Both the HMT 400 and 600 are currently in UK service and so Supacat is aiming to build on this by offering newer variants of existing kit.

The ACC was designed with the LPM in mind, intended as a modular platform that can perform a range of functions as required. While Supacat does have the advantage that its platforms are already in service and are thus a known quantity, three different vehicles for the same category seems counterintuitive to the MoD’s goal of simplification by selecting one platform per category.

While not officially confirmed, Urovesa is believed to be interested in offering the VAMTAC LTV as a contender. However Urovesa does not have an established relationship with the British military and it is unclear how it would provide the high degree of UK domestic production that the MoD is looking for in the LMP.

AM General is offering the JLTV as a possible contender. Previous JLTV manufacturer Oshkosh signed an agreement with NP Aerospace in 2022 to act as a UK domestic manufacturer, but it is unknown if AM General has maintained that agreement.

The latest variant of the vehicle, the JLTV A2, was displayed at DSEI 2025 and despite the ongoing controversy over the US Department of Defense (DoD)’s decision to cancel the JLTV, AM General maintains orders until 2027 and remains confident about the JLTVs future.

However, given the controversy and AM General’s existing order catalogue, the MoD seeks a more stable solution that has a quicker delivery time.

The final contender is NMS UK, the UK division of Turkey’s Nurol Makina. A relative newcomer to UK defence, NMS UK intends to bid for both the LPM and MPM, offering the Lurcher, a variant of the Yöruk, as a possible LPM platform and the Dragon for the MPM.

While at 10,400kg it is also above current MoD requirements, its modular nature could allow it to be adapted to better suit UK needs. As a sign of its long-term intentions, NMS UK has established a facility near Leamington Spa to produce the Lurcher and Dragon for both the UK and export. It intends to initially source 20% of the components from the UK, with the aim of increasing this to between 50% and 60% in the future.

Bigger and better protected

MPM is intended to replace heavier vehicles like the Mastiff, Wolfhound and Ridgeback. These vehicles are designed to defeat threats such as improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenade threat environments. They will replace approximately 1,400 vehicles and have a gross vehicle weight of 20,000kg. However, Shephard believes that this will be reduced to 18,500kg to allow the selected platform to be air deployable.

There are six contenders for the MPM: Thales, Patria and Babcock, Supacat, NMS UK, KNDS and IDV UK.

As mentioned previously, Thales is also offering the Bushmaster for the MPM category. Already in service in small numbers with UK special forces, the Bushmaster would be at the lighter end of the spectrum at 11,000kg.

Being a known quantity is a benefit for Thales, as is the ability to up-armour the Bushmaster to meet additional requirements. Thales currently has a hot production line that the UK could join in late 2026, until domestic production is ready.

Patria is offering the Patria 6x6 developed under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS). At IDV 2025, Patria signed an agreement with Babcock to jointly provide the Patria 6x6, with Babcock acting a UK domestic manufacturer.

At DSEI 2025, it was confirmed that the UK had officially joined CAVS technical group, but had not yet agreed to purchase the Patria 6x6.

Utilising existing facilities, Babcock is confident that it could deliver the Patria 6x6 in a similar time frame to Denmark, which signed an agreement in July 2025 and received its first delivery in September 2025. It also believes it could provide over 50% UK content with local assembly.

Babcock and Patria also think the Patria 6x6 could fulfil other UK requirements, such as an armoured mortar carrier with Patria’s NEMO, and Ground Based Air Defence/Short Range Air Defence (GBAD/SHORAD) through the installation of higher-calibre cannons.

Additionally, the Patria 6x6 is already in use with several other NATO countries, offering enhanced interoperability with the UK’s allies.

At 24,000kg, the Patria 6x6 would be too heavy for current MoD requirements. However, it would fit within a heavy protected mobility category, should one materialise, or could still fit depending on the eventual requirement.

Supacat is also offering its ACC for the MPM. The platform’s modular nature allows it to fulfil various roles, so it could be configured with heavier armour and the capacity to transport heavier roles.

Selecting the ACC for both LPM and MPM would provide a degree of logistical simplicity but would potentially require Supacat to increase its production capacity to meet the requirements for both categories.

Again, as mentioned above, NMS UK is offering the Dragon, a variant of its Ejder Yalçın for the MPM. With a factory already in place and the potential for a high degree of domestic manufacture, NMS UK is also well placed to offer a potential double ticket.

KNDS is offering the Dingo 3. The latest iteration of the Dingo family, KNDS is also hoping that the Trinity House treaty will provide a boost for German manufacturers working in the UK. The newest of the contenders, the Dingo 3, was recently ordered by the Bundeswehr but has not entered operation with any other military.

Finally, IDV UK is offering the Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV). Weighing 12,000kg and with the modular capacity to be configured as needed, the MTV would be ideally suited for an air-deployable medium vehicle.

However, while IDV UK does have a domestic truck-making facility, production could be primarily based in Italy, potentially placing it at a disadvantage to its competitors that offer higher domestic production possibilities.

The shadow of heavy mobility

The LMP previously contained a heavy mobility category weighing between 20,000 kg and 40,000kg, which seemed almost exclusively to replace Bulldog.

However, this was subsequently dropped, leaving the MoD with a capability gap that would need to be addressed. Following DSEI 2025, Shephard now understands that the heavy mobility component of the LMP is back under consideration.

Shephard believes there are three possible contenders currently positioning themselves to bid for a heavy mobility requirement: BAE Systems, Patria and Babcock, and IDV UK.

At DSEI 2025, BAE exhibited the C2 variant of the Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). This was the first time that the AMPV C2 had been exhibited in Europe. Currently replacing the US Army’s M113, the AMPV includes general purpose, C2 and medical evacuation variants.

This, combined with its tracked nature, would make it a logical contender for a Bulldog, albeit somewhat larger and heavier. Shephard understands that this was its primary purpose for being displayed at DSEI 2025.

The Patria 6x6 would be too heavy for the current MPM, but it would fit within a potential heavy mobility category. While it could serve as a medical transport and C2 platform, a potential requirement could also be to provide recce support for the UK’s artillery regiments, a role traditionally performed by a tracked vehicle.

Shephard also understands that IDV UK is interested in offering the Superav 8x8, currently in service with the Italian Army, as a contender for a potential heavy mobility category.

The Superav can be configured as a C2, recovery or medivac vehicle, all potential requirements for the category. However, as with the Patria 6x6, it is wheeled rather than tracked and so may be at a disadvantage compared to other competitors.

LMP – an ephemeral programme?

With the programme likely to be delayed again, the requirements for each category still not confirmed and the heavy category back in focus, the LMP remains as ill-defined as it was when it was first announced. Industry is definitely interested in the LMP, an enthusiasm not reflected in the prevarication by the MoD.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Land Mobility Programme (Medium Protected Mobility) [UK]

Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

Land Mobility Programme (Light Mobility Vehicle) [UK]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

VAMTAC LTV

Superav 8x8

Patria 6x6