- New MoD maintenance contract could keep Pinzgauer supported to May 2031, beyond its 2030 OSD
- Babcock (for MoD) awards Mitchell Powersystems a £2.9m engine/assemblies deal starting May 2026, with option years
- Pinzgauer is slated for replacement under Land Mobility; widely used as a tractor for the L118 105mm gun
A UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract award for maintenance provision for the British Army’s Pinzgauer logistics and mobility vehicles includes the potential to retain the platform beyond its planned out-of-service date (OSD) of 2030.
In a 17 June contract award notice, it was detailed that Babcock Land Defence, acting as agent for the UK MoD, would award a three-year contract with two, one-year option years to Mitchell Powersystems for the provision of Pinzgauer engines and associated assemblies.
The contract was listed as having a start date of 22 May 2026, and a nominal ending of 21 May 2029. However, should the two option years be taken up, the contract could run through to May 2031.
The contract value was stated as being £2.9m ($3.8m), with Babcock Land Defence retaining the right to add further ‘items of a similar nature’ throughout the duration of the contract.
In service with the British Army since 1995, the Pinzgauer family of vehicles is expected to be replaced through the Land Mobility Programme, a key and long-delayed recapitalisation of the service’s logistics and mobility fleets.
Nearly 900 Pinzgauer tactical trucks were delivered to the British Army between 1995-2008.
Pinzgauer: British Army utility
Available in 4×4 and 6×6 wheel configurations, German manufacturer Rheinmetall states that the Pinzgauer can perform a range of operations, including special forces and, command and control, and logistics.
In British Army service, the platform is commonly used by Royal Artillery units operating the L118 105mm light gun as a tactor vehicle. However, the use of the L118 is also due to end in 2030, the purported same end date as the Pinzgauer.
The use of towed artillery has become highly controversial given their vulnerability to loitering munitions and suicide drones that now dominate the battlespace.
Future artillery acquisition is increasingly focussed on the development of mobile artillery or mortar systems, which are able to more quickly exfiltrate an area after firing to improve survivability.
