The Ranger Special Operations Vehicle (RSOV) is a light military vehicle of the U.S. Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, based on the Land Rover Defender. The RSOV is not meant to be an assault vehicle, but rather a rapid defensive platform.[1]
History
In 1992, the U.S. Army Rangers decided to adopt the RSOV in order to replace their M151 light gun trucks.[2][3] The decision to adopt the vehicle was inspired by American troops seeing the Land Rover deployed by the British in the Gulf War.[4] They noted that the vehicle was easier to use in desert terrain compared to the Humvee.[4] 60 RSOVs were initially purchased to fulfill a requirement for 12 RSOVs per battalion.[5]
The RSOV was secretly deployed to support potential anti-terrorist efforts and to ensure the safety of people visiting the 1992 Summer Olympics in Spain, but they were kept out of the public eye.[4]
Design
The RSOV's design is based on the Land Rover Defender Model 110, having different specifications from the British Weapons Mount Installation Kit.[2][4] The RSOV was built by the Land Rover Special Operations Vehicle Department.[6] It was also meant to be airlifted by helicopter or transport aircraft if needed.[6][7]
Initial prototypes used 3.5 liter V8 engines, but final models used four cylinder turbo diesel engines[6] with a manual transmission.[7] The diesel engine does not make loud noises when deployed, allowing Ranger teams to be stealthy when tasked with seizing places of interest.[7]
The Rangers have three main types of RSOV, the weapons carrier, medical vehicle, or communications vehicle. As a weapons carrier it can carry up to 8,000 lbs, including six to seven fully armed Rangers.[1] The Ranger is designed with a crew of three in mind: a truck commander (TC), seated front-left, a driver, and a top gunner, in the rear.[8] Additional seating arrangements can be made for an antitank operator, radiotelephone operator or a dismount team typically consisting of an M249 squad automatic weapon gunner, M203 gunner and rifleman.[8]
According to Bob Morrison, the development of the RSOV had an influence for the eventual development of the WMIK.[4]
Weapons
For a typical operation, both vehicles in an RSOV section would be equipped with various machine guns at the forward truck commander's station, with a Mk 19 grenade launcher at the top gunner position in one vehicle, and a Browning .50 cal M2 machine gun mounted on that top position in the other vehicle.[1][9]
A M249 light machine gun can be mounted in front of the TC seat for the front passenger to use in case of an enemy encounter.[8]
U.S. Army Ranger MEDSOV (Medical Special Operations Vehicle) carries six patient litters, and is based on British Land Rover Defender.
Variants
In addition to the RSOVs with their crew-served weapons, each Ranger battalion has two medical variants of the Defender known as a Medical Special Operations Vehicle (MEDSOV).[10] Instead of the weapon mounts found on standard RSOVs, the MEDSOV variant has fold-down racks capable of carrying six litter patients.[10] Along with its transported casualties, a typical MEDSOV crew would include a driver, a TC and two or three medics to treat the wounded.[10]
Another RSOV variant is used by the Ranger battalion mortar platoon. Known as MORTSOVs, the platoon's two Defenders—they also have three Humvees—replace the top-gun configuration with storage boxes and guy wires that allow the vehicle to carry thirty 120 mm (4.7 in) mortar rounds along with the extra equipment required by the platoon.[9] In addition to its on-board carrying capacity, the MORTSOVs can be used to tow the platoon's 120 mm (4.7 in) mortars.[8]
Czech Republic: Formally known as LAND ROVER DEFENDER – MILITARY ARMOURED 4 with the nickname of Kajman, it entered service in 2009 with modifications done by AMT Defense based on the Defender 130 chassis in a RSOV configuration.[4]
