DDX-188 - REMLR

Draft Development Specification 188 (or DX-118) is an Australian Army Specification for what became to be known as the 1 Ton Truck, or XF4. It appears that Land Rover may have submitted a proposal to the tender. As the initial XF4 mockup used many Land Rover parts, this seems like a reasonable progression. The specification was for a forward control vehicle along the lines of a 101. The attached drawings appear to indicate that the vehicle was intended as a submission to the XF4 1 Ton Truck project. These drawings are of an unknown date at this stage. However the DDX-188 proposal was circulated to the industry in 1968, so it can be presumed they date around that time.

On the other side, the XF4 vehicles were on trial in 1971-1972, the 101 prototypes were built in 1968 to 1971 and the 101 was in production from 1972. Was the availability of a similar vehicle "off the shelf" part of the decision that the XF4 project was cancelled? Indeed a prototype 101 did spend some time in Australia.

It is uncertain if the proposal was never submitted to the Australian Army, or if indeed it was submitted, and was rejected. However information in "Forty Years of Army Design" appear to indicate that it was submitted. Whilst REMLR have not seen a copy of this publication, well known historian Paul Handel surmised what the book had to say about DX-188, as well as his own information.

According to "Forty Years of Army Design", a short history of EDE produced in May 1979, Design and Development Specification DD(X)188 was circulated to industry in 1968 after approval was given to build an experimental model of a One Ton GS Vehicle.

The design concept was for a 4 wheel drive in cab-over engine configuration, and the body was to allow for conversion of tray to flat bed operation. It was to have differential locks on both axles and PTO for ancillary equipment and a powered trailer. The vehicle was to use commercially available components wherever possible, with the exception of the ADE designed transfer case. Chrysler, Ford, GM-H, International Harvester, Rover and Volvo responded with tenders. The ADE Experimental vehicle, based on Landrover components, was shown to the Army in 1969.

Then came a letter of intent to Ford and IHC to produce four pilot models.

The four diagrams show four different proposals. One is a 1 Ton, bonneted Land Rover, another is a standard 101 Forward Control, the third a widened 101 to meet the DDX-188 specification, and the final drawing very closely resembles the XF4 trucks that were constructed. Interestingly this final drawing also looks quite similar to the 101 prototypes that had a separate cab and cargo area.

The Land Rover proposal does not appear to have been one of the ones chosen for further development, International Harvester and Ford were chosen for that. In the end the project was canned. Whilst a high level of local content was desirable for them, it may be that they did not want to accept the risks associated with a local design. Even today, Defence lays the responsibility of problems in the design of equipment at the feet of the designers / manufacturers, and rightly so.

If anybody has any further information, feel free to contact REMLR so that we can update our information on this intriguing project.

Tender A, 1 Ton Bonneted Land Rover Copyright Leyland Australia.	Tender B, 1 Land Rover 101 Copyright Leyland Australia.	Tender C, A Widened Land Rover 101 Copyright Leyland Australia.
Tender D, 1 Ton GS Truck, which looks similar to the 101 prototype pictured to the right. Copyright Leyland Australia.	A prototype 6 cylinder 101 Forward control, that looks similar to drawing D