Australian Army evaluates Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series 6x6
Locally-designed and built six-wheel drive LandCruisers could be pressed into active dutyThe Australian Defence Force (ADF) is currently assessing a handful of modified 6x6 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series vehicles for domestic reconnaissance missions.
Designed, developed and built in Townsville, Queensland, by Australian Patrol Vehicles (APV), the rugged military-issue six-wheeler is based on the LandCruiser 79 Series pick-up and is being tested by the Australian Army.
If the ADF deems the new models are suitable, the triple-axle Toyota LC70s could enter active duty as Military Light Reconnaissance Vehicles or MLRVs.
The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series has been significantly modified and upgraded to suit military requirements. The MLRV can be tailored with a range of different fittings and modules to suit various objectives and tasks, says APV.
“Four of these 6x6 MRLVs are being put through their paces in a comprehensive land trial by soldiers from the 31st/42nd Battalion, the Royal Queensland Regiment, 11th Combat Service Support Battalion and the 11th Engineer Regiment,”
.“Army is supporting a Minister for Defence Industry SICP grant by trialling a Military Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (MLRV) to assess its suitability for use in domestic military operations.
“Driver training commenced this week within Townsville to qualify soldiers in 11th Brigade – Australian Army prior to testing the vehicles on a series of exercises throughout the remainder the TY,” said the Regiment.
The ADF already has a significant contingent of around 1200 military-spec Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons, including 6x6 versions, that were commissioned in 2011 after Mercedes-Benz defeated Toyota and Land Rover to win the ADF tender to replace its aged fleet of old Land Rover Defenders in 2008.
The Austrian-made G-Wagons are among a number of other Mercedes-Benz vehicles also used by the ADF, including the massive Unimog and heavy-duty Actros 8x8 trucks, and the German car-maker has guaranteed production until at least 2025.
But if the 6x6 LandCruisers prove popular with the Australian Army’s top brass they could end up joining or even replacing the G-Wagon fleet as patrol, reconnaissance and tow vehicles for military hardware.
Given Australia is the world’s biggest market for the aged LandCruiser 70 Series, that could further extend the already long life of a utilitarian model that is due for a major upgrade soon and currently commands an order bank that stretches well into 2024, despite dating back to 1984.
If the APV-built Toyota six-wheeler – of which there are also LandCruiser 200 Series versions – gets the green light as an Australian military vehicle, one of the benefits will be the availability of parts and components via Toyota, which in turn could reduce repair and maintenance times during operations in remote parts of the country and/or overseas.
“The use of the Toyota 79 series platform reduces logistic requirements and allows for direct access to the global Toyota support networks available in every continent,” says APV on its website.
While the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen models are built overseas, the 6x6 Toyota will be joined by another locally-developed vehicles, the Hawkei protected vehicle – a heavily-armoured 10-tonne 4x4 vehicle that can tow up to four tonnes and is manufactured in Bendigo, Victoria.
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