The British Army is to start retiring its Land Rover fleet after 70 years of service, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced.
Thousands of the iconic vehicles will start to be phased out over the coming months and the retirement will be managed in line with demand from the Army, the MoD said.
Plans are now under way to find its replacement, with the first new vehicles expected to be used by British soldiers by 2030.
Land Rover vehicles have been a "trusted workhorse" for the British Armed Forces since their widespread adoption in the 1950s, the MoD said.
In 2025, more than 5,000 of them remained in service across the UK military.
The MoD said the retirement of the Land Rover marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the British Army's mobility capabilities.
Pollard added: "As we look ahead to the future of light mobility vehicles, it is fitting to pay tribute to this extraordinary fleet that has served our Armed Forces so faithfully.
"I'm firing the starting gun on the replacement vehicle competition, seeking to put a modern vehicle in the hands of our personnel."
Pollard was in attendance on Thursday for a special commemorative event held for the vehicles at Bovington, Dorset.
"While the Land Rover's legacy will endure, the Army is now focused on ensuring its personnel are equipped with a modern, technologically advanced fleet to support future operations," the MoD said in a statement.
New light motor vehicles will offer opportunities to British-based businesses through vehicle support and maintenance, helping make defence an engine for growth, it added.
The MoD said that over the decades, several bespoke Land Rover models were developed exclusively for military use, including:
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Source: This article was originally published by BBC News
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