Ranger Special Operations Vehicle

The Ranger Special Operations Vehicle, or RSOV, is a light military vehicle of the U.S. Army's 75th Ranger Regiment based on the Land Rover Defender 110. The Rangers adopted it in 1992 to replace their M151 light gun trucks, inspired by American troops seeing British Land Rovers in the Gulf War and finding them easier than the Humvee in desert terrain. Sixty were first bought to meet a need for twelve per battalion. Built by the Land Rover Special Operations Vehicle Department and designed to be airlifted, it is a rapid defensive platform rather than an assault vehicle, carrying up to 8,000 pounds including six or seven armed Rangers. Prototypes used a 3.5 litre V8 but production models had a quiet four cylinder turbo diesel. Variants include the weapons carrier, the medical MEDSOV and the mortar carrying MORTSOV, and Turkey built 2,550 under licence as the Engerek.