Over the years the Australian Army has Trialled, tried, invented, built designed and used a huge variety of vehicles. This page attempts to pull together some of these trials and developments on to one page.

A big thankyou to John Bamford for his photos and accounts, Glen Hutley for the same, and a special note about information taken from the book, "Forty Years of Army Design"

This page would defenitely be classed as a "work in progress" as further infomation and photos come to hand.

As REMLR deals with post WW2, specifically from around 1950 onwards, I will focus on the history of the establishment post WW2. The history is somewhat fractured and convoluted as far as the organisation, although it’s activities are easier to track.

1951/52 - 81" Land Rover B40, Holden powered Series 1 Land Rover, Fordson Truck and Blitz Truck
1955/56 – Saracen, Ferret, 10 ton bridging crane on trial.
1958 - Trials into 4x4 1/4 Ton vehicle for the Australian Army including Series 2 Landrover, Willys CJ-3B(Aust), Austin Gypsy, Freighter Pilot Model No.3 and M38A1.
1958 - First Series 2 Command Reconnaissance vehicles delivered
1960 – Prototype ambulances and 2 ½ ton GS truck on trial
1960/61 – Prototype ambulances, FV119, Saladin and Bombadier Muskeg on trial
1962 - Series 2a Land Rover enters service
1962 – 5TTU Established
1962/63 – FV432, M113 M543, Series 2a Forward Control Land Rover, and Automotive Repair Land Rover (Wrecker?) on trial
1963 – 5TTU disbanded upon return from trials.
1963 - June the first Series 2a models were delivered
1963 - Tracked "Cuthbertson" Land Rover Trialed
1964 – 6TTU Established
1964/65 – M114A1, M113, Ferret Mk.2 Inter F1 and F2 and other wheeled vehicles on trial
1965 - One Ton Amphibious Land Rover tested in Australia for the Australian Army.
1965 – 6TTU Disbanded
1966 – 7TTU Established
1966 - ENTAC missile mounted on a land rover as part of a trial
1966/67 – Lark 5, M72 AT, M79 Grenade Launcher and Carl Gustav AT. Also UK team of guns and vehicles on trial
1967 – Artillery Lethality Testing
1967 – Army Tropical Trials Unit Formed
1967/68 – Sheridan Tank trials
1969 – Tropical Trials Establishment administratively separated from ADE.
1971/72 – XF4 on trial
1971 - Some "Late" series 2a vehicles with headlights in the guards delivered to the Army.
1972 - Last Series 2a vehicles delivered to the Army.
1973 - XF4 One Ton Truck Cancelled
1976 - Two 101 Land Rovers delivered for Trials.
1976/77 – Guns and gun tractors on trial involving 107 FD BTY
1977 - Beginning of delivery of Series 3 vehicles to the Army and RAAF
1978 - Last 101 Land Rovers delivered to the Army
1981 - End of production of Series 3 vehicles for the Army and RAAF
1982 - July a tender released for vehicles to compete in Project Perentie
1987 - Land Rover 110 and 6x6 Production Started
1992 - Land Rover 110 and 6x6 Initial Production Finished
1994 - Additional Land Rover 110 and 6x6 vehicles began being built under project Bushranger
1998 - Additional Land Rover 110 Production under project Bushranger finished.
1998 - "Phoenix" 110 Trialed with TD5 and Auto Gearbox as well as UK spec Wolf.
2000 - 33 TD5 vehicles purchased by the Australian Army
2004 - 17 TD5 vehicles purchased by the Australian Army

 

In 1951 to 1952 the Trials and Proving Wing at Monegeeta took four vehicles on an extended trial to test the efficiency and reliability of the vehicles in the trial. The documentation that REMLR has in it's archive is Test Instruction 1515 of 8th December 1951. This document relates to the trial of the Holden engine fitted to 1948 Series 1 land rover ARN 153952, not to the vehicle or vehicle / engine combination.

Apart from the Land Rover with the Holden engine conversion the other three vehicles taking part in the trials trip were A Rolls Royce B40 engined 81" Land Rover 1951 Series 1 (ARN 107-678) , a Fordson Thames 5T truck with front wheel drive conversion, and a Truck, 3t, 4x4, Chevrolet which was used as a control and load carrier. This Chevrolet is a CMP (Canadian Military Pattern) also commonly known as a Blitz.

The Holden engined Land Rover had completed 53,000 miles of testing before the Holden motor as installed. Before it's installation the motor was run in as per the manufacturers instructions. It used a Holden radiator and cutch, as well as modified engine mounts and a spacer for the bell housing, probably similar to more modern civilian conversions.

For more information on that trial, visit the page on REMLR

According to Paul Handel's article on ANZAC Steel:

Between May and August 1951, the Long Range Weapons Establishment (LRWE) undertook a reconnaissance in central Australia with a view to  testing a special vehicle (a modified Dodge Weapon Carrier) suitable for use cross country in their main rocket range area. The reconnaissance party were mounted in, amongst other vehicles, five special bodied Landrovers and six standard Landrovers.  The special bodied Landrovers were merely standard vehicles with a panel van style body at the rear.  The Technical Services Establishment, Army Branch was invited to send along an observer, thus providing direct Army interest in such trials. All 11 Landrovers were shod with 9.00 x 13 inch  tyres. The vehicles on the trial all carried the Commonwealth Government “C” plates rather than army registrations. 

In July 1951, another Landrovers was trialed on behalf of the UK Ministry of Supply. This was one of the test beds mounting a Rolls Royce B 40 4 cylinder petrol engine, as fitted in the Austin Champ CT vehicle.  Although scheduled to be on trial for about 3 months, the vehicle was still running in mid 1955, and was performing reliability testing up to 100 000 miles. This was completed in early 1956. 

This photo is dated at around 1953 ??

Another round of trials was carried out for the Ministry of Supply during the hot-wet conditions of the six month tropical summer period at Innisfail North Queensland in 1955-6. This area had been reconnoitred at an earlier stage in 1954 by the Design Establishment. Two cargo vehicles, the ‘Saracen’ armoured personnel carrier, the ‘Ferret’ scout car, a ten ton bridging crane and a free-piston air compressor were the subjects. As no organisation existed for conduct of the trial a trials unit of some 26 members was created on an ad hoc basis, consisting partly of military and partly civilian personnel drawn mainly from the Design Establishment.

 

According to archives, a series of vehicle tests were carried out to select new vehicles for the AMF in the late 1950s. The Army Design Establishment (ADE) went to work to prepare reports helping to determine which vehicle manufacturer received the supply contracts. The ADE files sighted to date refer to "Project V50" and/or "Combined Services Vehicle Specification N° 3 of 19 June 1957." The dates of the actual vehicle tests date from 6 May 1958 and the ADE evaluative test process went on for over 12 months; eg., the Jeep CJ-3 report (finalised and submitted by the ADE OC to AMF HQ) is dated June 12th 1959. The tested environments were abbreviated as "hot-wet" and "hot-dry". Those references imply the summer of December 1958 through February 1959 as being the make-or-break trial when all the vehicle company exec's must have been more than a little nervous. Big money was at stake.

Land-Rover's Solihull factory began turning out the new "Series 2" (or "Series II") design in April 1958, ten years to the month after the first public display of the Land-Rover in Amsterdam 1948. The new model Series 2 of April 1958 had a new wider style/look (designed by Rover's David Beach) and a new engine in the case of the long wheelbase units. Until late June 1958 the 'Regular' 88inch wheelbase units were assembled with the 2.0 litre petrol engines (55bhp @4000rpm) leftover from the Series 1 production; the new 4 cylinder 2.25 litre OHV petrol engines (77bhp @4250rpm) came onstream for the short wheelbase units immediately after the older engines were used up. The new power unit was a major improvement...

Information from a Australian Military Equipment Profiles publication lists the Series 2 "Australian Army appraisal unit" as chassis number 142800001 - ie '142' is code for 'RHD Export' assembled at Solihull ('143' code would be RHD CKD) and '8' refers to the year 1958, s/n is number '00001'. This Land-Rover was rushed from the Solihull assembly line and transported by ship to Australia -ASAP- to be tested along with other 4x4 ¼ ton vehicles by the Australian Design Establishment.

Anyway, allowing for six weeks on the sea, that Series 2, the first ever seen in Australia, arrived in Port Melbourne around the end of May 1958 and was handed over for testing as soon as possible - by May 1958 the "Project V50 tests" had already been underway for a month at the ADE 'TPW' bush circuit near Melbourne:

"...the Trials and Proving Wing (TPW)... around "Mount Charlie", a cross country circuit used to test vehicles outside the Commonwealth property at Monegeeta." (John Bamford)

This 1958 'Regular' 88inch 4 cylinder Land-Rover, ARN 107-671 (Commonwealth plates C67999), with it's English canvas top and transparent rear windows, went on to win the AMF testing contest between five manufacturers for the supply contract. Rover Australia was also obligated to follow some mods and Australian manufacturing content required by the Government. (More details at ANZACsteel website). The delivery of CKD Series 2 ¼ ton 88inch and 109inch units from Solihull UK followed quickly: the earliest arrivals were the 88inch short wheelbase units, as per Contract number 104337 (issued in November 1958). They are all dated 16.12.58 and were delivered 'in-service' in early 1959. They were all CKD export models with '143' prefix chassis numbers.

According to Paul Handel's article on ANZAC Steel:

During 1958 a trial was conducted in order to determine a replacement vehicle for the WW2 Jeep, which was still in service with the Australian Army. Trials were held between the following vehicles, all in the ¼ ton load carrying class – Landrover Series 2 88 inch wheelbase, M38A1, Austin Gypsy, CJ-3 Jeep and a locally built Freighters vehicle.  All were in the ¼ ton 4x4 class, and an in service Australian Army Jeep was used as a comparitor vehicle.

From http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Military/AustArmyTest.html or an archived copy on REMLR here.

In 1958 the Australian Army tested five small 4-wheel-drive vehicles with an eye toward replacing the Austin Champ which had been in use since 1950. (See the Austin Champ Owners Club.) One of the vehicles tested was a Willys CJ-3B, purchased commercially in Australia in May 1958. The results of that test appear in a document titled "Army Design Establishment, Report No. TI 1762C: Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4 (Willys CJ-3B)".

From http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/on target/2008/DecJan08/rw.cfm, Written by Mike Cecil

A technical assessment of the five likely contenders was called for in mid-1958. These were the Willys Model CJ-3B, which, in simple terms, was a modernised version of the already familiar jeep; the US Military’s M38A1, which was a militarised version of the Willys Model CJ-5 civilian light truck; the British Austin Gypsy; The Freighter Imp. a pilot model 4x4 under development by Freighter Industries Ltd, an Australian company; and a Land Rover Series 2.

The Army, Navy and Department of Supply had had some experience with the Land Rover Series 1, first produced in the late 1940s. Several had been purchased by the Department of Supply for survey and light liaison work in outback areas, while the Navy had acquired a small number for general duties and as ships’ transport. Army had purchased two vehicles for appraisal. They had been used for a range of experimental work during the 1950s, much of this at the Trial and Proving Wing at Monegeeta.

A series of trials were conducted and by mid-1959, it was clear that the two front runners were the M38A1 and the Land Rover. Both vehicles had comparable automotive performance, and the M38A1 offered some advantages in terms of compatibility with US Forces. However, the Land Rover’s better weather protection, more comfortable ride and superior all round vision held sway. The next generation of ¼ ton trucks would be the Land Rover. It was to be a long-lasting partnership. Soon after the decision to purchase the ¼ ton Land Rover, it was decided to provide a 4-stretcher ambulance on the longer wheelbase ¾ ton chassis. Then the Land Rover long wheel base ¾ ton vehicle was chosen as the basic vehicle in that class as well. The high degree of compatibility between the ¼ ton and ¾ ton vehicles made both logistic and financial sense.

The trials of the 1962/63 season were enlarged in scope and the unit created for the event was fully self-contained and compromised 54 personnel both military and civil. The unit became known as Number 5 Tropical Trials Unit (5TTU), making the point that the formation of such units from ADE was intended to continue from time to time and acknowledging that four similar units had already been formed and disbanded.  The 5TTU was commanded by a Major E.A. McClosky and was supported at Innisfail by a squadron of the 2/14 Queensland Mounted Infantry (QMI). The reason for this was that the trial involved the prototype Armoured Personnel Carriers FV432 of British origin and Personnel Carriers Full Tracked M113 of United States origin. Other equipments were the Medium Recovery Truck M543 and automotive repair Land Rover. The wheeled vehicles proceeded overland to Innisfail while the tracked vehicles were sent by train, the whole unit grouping and training in November and December 1962. All vehicles and personnel moved to Mount Isa for hot/dry and physiological trials in January 1963 and returned to Innisfail for the conduct of hot/wet trials between February and April.

Accommodation for a considerable force was naturally a problem in Innisfail and the problem was met with the help of Department of Harbours and Marine by quartering the QMI at the adjacent Mourilyan Harbour Barracks, which had been built some years previously for the use of Waterside workers but had never been occupied. The 5 TTU lived at the Exchange Hotel in Innisfail. Any idea that the arrangement might be a base, on which to develop future organisation, was nullified because the Barracks were demolished sometime after the trial to make way for the erection of a sugar terminal.

At Mount Isa, the personnel were rationed and quartered in a hutted camp known as Star Gulley Barracks, which had been built by Utah Australia Limited for the construction of Lake Moondara at Mount Isa and which were owned by Mount Isa Mines Ltd.

At the conclusion of the trial, 5TTU returned to Trials and Proving Wing of ADE where it was disbanded after the return of stores and vehicles.

Guided Missiles – Anti-Tank Guided Weapons - ENTAC
In 1960 the Australian army issued a requirement for a weapon, which could be used by either infantry or by armoured formations. Paper assessments of competing weapon systems, the French ENTAC and SS11, and british Vigiland, the Swiss Mosquito and the German Cobra were made by ADE. Eventually, ENTAC was chosen as an infantry weapon and the heavier SS11 as a vehicle mounted weapon for engineering evaluation and user trials and the Establishment, as a Design Authority, was charged with carrying out the engineering trials.

Both Entac and SS11 Missile systems were optically tracked and guided along the line of sight to the target by an operator, controlling with a joystick unit, which caused electrical control signals to be relayed by twin-wire cables freely dispensing from the round. The missiles were rocket propelled and fitted with shaped-charge warheads; Entac operated at ranges from the target between 400 meters and 1800 meters and SS11 up to 3000 meters.

The tests and trials, which indicated certain deficiencies under simulated tropical conditions – subsequently corrected by manufacturers contributed to the eventual purchase by the Army in 1964. It was decided that separate infantry and vehicle mounted weapons were unnecessary and installations in Landrover vehicles and Ferret scout cars were also evolved as a separate design exercise. A limited number of prototype installations were used for training, but vehicle mounted anti-tank weapons did not enter service.

 

In 1962, the Australian Army commenced trials of the French ENTAC ATGW, a light weight and relatively cheap missile with distinct similarities to the abandoned Project E of the early 1950s. ENTAC was adopted and served the Australian Army from 1964 to 1982.

 

For the 1964/65 trial season, 6TTU was formed as a sub-unit of ADE. The vehicle systems undergoing evaluation were the M114A1 Reconnaissance Vehicle and Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle M113 with a Ferret Scout Car Mk 2 as a comparator, the Truck Cargo 5 Ton and Truck Dump 5 Cubic Yard and other wheeled vehicles.  The trial involved the movement from Melbourne to Innisfail and return. At Innisfail trials involved not only negotiation of rain forest courses but also a swamp, sand and beach areas. Photos and information about 6 TTU can be found on this page.

The below photos were provided by Glen Gutley who had this to say about them.

Enclosed area few other shots from 6TTU. The tracked vehicles that were under trial were the M114 and a similar product manufactured by the Food Manfg Co, M113 and a half. These were Recce vehicles and run in comparator trials with the Ferret that was already in service. Neither of these vehicles were accepted, as we took the M113 instead opting for the multi tasking ability in that it could be used as a Recconnaisance vehicle as well as an Armoured Personnel Carrier whereas the M114 was a single task vehicle. Similar thinking and reasoning of the day that saw the demise of the 88" Rovers and the acceptance of more 109"s..

Some of these shots have been damaged by mould as you can see.

Copyright Glen Hutley	< Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley
Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley Stoping overnight in Longreach	Copyright Glen Hutley
Copyright Glen Hutley The Land Rover Wrecker getting a workout.	Copyright Glen Hutley The wrecker being used to help recover a damaged A1, The damage appears to mirror the colour photo of A1 higher up the page.	Copyright Glen Hutley The damaged A1 under tow by a M543
Copyright Glen Hutley The wrecker lifting one of the artillery pieces to be hitched up to a 6x6 inter at the Longreach show grounds. November 1964	Copyright Glen Hutley On Cowley Beach
Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley Camp near Mena Creek
Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley M114 Vertical drop	Copyright Glen Hutley M114
Copyright Glen Hutley M114	Copyright Glen Hutley Oops!	Copyright Glen Hutley In Town!

 

 

When 7TTU was formed for the 1966-67 trials round, it was planned that elements of this team would remain behind at the conclusion of the trials to form the nucleus of a permanent establishment. It would occupy facilities and headquarters, which were to be provided at Crowley Beach near Innisfail. Although it was intended to set up a hutted temporary camp, it had to be accepted that conditions there would have to be fairly primitive, with only a tented camp, and that an office would have to be maintained in Innisfail itself.

No 7TTU under command of Lieutenant Colonel J. Humph was tasked with carrying out for the Australian Army hot/wet trials of the Lark 5 Amphibious Vehicle, the M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon, the M79 40mm Grenade launcher and the Carl Gust 84mm Infantry Anti-Tank Gun. The unit was also required to support administratively a United Kingdom team, who were to carry out hot/wet and hot/dry trials of guns and vehicles. The elements of 7TTU, which remained at Crowley Beach in temporary accommodation, fared poorly over a protracted period, as the growth of the headquarters was unfortunately only a piecemeal operation. Army intended to make a Cabinet submission detailing all the requirements for a properly developed Tropical Trials Unit but this submission was never presented. Tents were eventually replaced by huts, but located in the same positions and with unchanged functions and there was no development of a long term plan for the organisation. The formation of Army Tropical Trials Unit was formally approved in August 1967 with a strength of 64.

The next trial was to assess the lethality of artillery and mortar projectiles in a jungle environment and, as rainfall and humidity were not an essential ingredient, the trial was conducted mid-year in 1967 outside the normal wet season.

John Bamford recalls information about the 1966 Year.

Photograph 2A is in 1996 following the decision to establish a permanent tropical trials establishment at Cowley Beach near Innisfail. No-one had decided where the exact boundaries should be. The photograph is when four of us went out, stuck a post in the ground for the first corner, and then sent the engineer officer off to survey exactly where the post was.

The other photographs are from British hot dry trials in 1966 between Cloncurry and Mount Isa. The photographs are 1D Stalwart, 2B Light Mobile Digger, 2CAbbott, and 2D Heavy Wheel Tractor. In the planning stages for these trials there arose the question of where the trials could be conducted, bearing in mind the need for accommodation and support facilities. I suggested that they "borrow" Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine, which was then in a caretaker mode and not working, and where there was vacant housing, catering facilities, and operational buildings for several hundred people. So one of the trials was run from a uranium mine.

Copyright John Bamford Locating the first post!	Copyright John Bamford Light Mobile Digger on British Trials in Australia	Copyright John Bamford Abbot on British Trials
Copyright John Bamford Heavy Wheel Tractor	Copyright John Bamford Stalwart on British Trials

 

 

Preparation for the 1967/68 series of trials also commenced at ADE at this time. This series was concerned with trials of two Sheridan Armoured Fighting Vehicles and their Shillelagh guided weapon systems on ABCA loan from the American Army. The vehicles were prepared and instrumented at ADE, crew training took place at Pukka and the vehicles moved on a Department of Supply convoy to the Tropical Trials Unit at Crowley Beach at Christmas.  Automotive trials and battlefield days were conducted at Tully and weapons firing trials were made in the Crowley Beach area. The Sheridan trial was by far the most complex yet attempted in the tropics and, in addition to the strength of the Tropical Trials Unit and increment was approved raising the level of support for the trials to over 200 military and civilian personnel.

General Sheridan Tank Evaluation
The evaluation of the weapon system of the Sheridan tank has already been mentioned. Automotive trials were carried out in the Innisfail/Tully area of North Queensland during the wet season 1967/68 using an M113A1 Armoured personnel carrier as a comparator. Up to four thousand miles of running on first and second class roads, on second class roads through jungle, together with an endurance run of some three hundred miles, comprised the trials programme, which also included seven - twenty hours battle day simulations. Under these demanding conditions it was found that, compared with the M113, the Sheridan's lower power to weight ratio gave slightly inferior performance on some occasions, and, under poor traction conditions, the Sheridan performance on steep grades and side slopes was also inferior. Under jungle conditions the disposition of the engine cooling radiator was such that debris thrown up by the tracks rapidly caused blockage followed by engine overheating; hull fittings were also found vulnerable to contact with vegetation. Maximum road speed was less and minimum turning circle greater with Sheridan, which nevertheless proved superior to M113 in negotiation of vertical drops and in operation over first and second class roads and in sand and while swimming.

This automotive performance of Sheridan was not, in the final analysis, the deciding factor in the Army decision not to proceed with its acquisition. The deficiencies in performance of the fairly massive but conventional 155 mm gun and ammunition system was the deciding factor.

The below photos are from Glen Hutley and this is what he had to say about them.

Later years saw the ADE set up a permanent camp at Cowley Beach whereas the previous 6 Tropical Trials were accommodated in Hotels in Innisfail itself and generally drove out daily to the trials areas, Those early days were very enjoyable indeed!!  
The Sheridan was an light American tank that was tested out here and as was often the case, not accepted.
These trials were carried out in lots of different areas and conditions around the country, not only hilly muddy Puckapunyal and tropical steamy Innisfail, but the following shots of the Sheridan were mainly swimming trials run with a M113 as a comparator vehicle taken in Jarrah Creek (Innisfail area) and on Mourilyan Harbour.
The shots of the Haffy and the Bombardier were taken at Cowley campsite.

Copyright Glen Hutley	M113 Copyright Glen Hutley	M113 Copyright Glen Hutley
Haflinger Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley
Copyright Glen Hutley	Copyright Glen Hutley	Bombadier Tracked vehicle Copyright Glen Hutley

Copyright: Neil Abrahams The LARC trials finished and being loaded	Copyright: Neil Abrahams The LARC trials finished and being loaded	Copyright: Neil Abrahams The reason for being in the Tropics
Copyright: Neil Abrahams The Safety Boat being launched by what we called the “bombardier”.  It was steered by stick and powered by an old side valve petrol engine with virtually no muffler.  One took one’s life in your own hands to be in it.  I don’t think it was used for anything else while I was there.	Copyright: Neil Abrahams The Sheridan tanks arrive.  Note the “bombardier” and other vehicles in the background.	Copyright: Neil Abrahams The Sheridan tanks arrive.  Note the “bombardier” and other vehicles in the background. Also note Scimitar painted on the side of the vehicle.
Copyright: Neil Abrahams Sheridan with Sabre painted on the side?	Copyright: Neil Abrahams Sheridan named Scimitar	Copyright: Neil Abrahams Sheridan recovery
Copyright: Neil Abrahams Sheridan flotation tests	Copyright: Neil Abrahams M113 flotation tests for comparison.	Copyright: Neil Abrahams
Copyright: Neil Abrahams	Copyright: Neil Abrahams	Copyright: Neil Abrahams
Copyright: Neil Abrahams Recovery from track trials.  Forward and back over the same stretch of ground	Copyright: Neil Abrahams	Copyright: Neil Abrahams
Copyright: Neil Abrahams Divers in to clear snags	Copyright: Neil Abrahams	Copyright: Neil Abrahams
Copyright: Neil Abrahams	Copyright: Neil Abrahams The track into the Tully test site	Copyright: Neil Abrahams A Rapier missile in static test.

 

One Ton General Service Vehicle
The technical and industrial climate was favourable to an Australian development exercise when Army came to the conclusion that its in-service ¾ ton capacity LandRover, while adequate for many purposes, fell short of total requirements for strategic and tactical mobility in terms of operability in rough conditions and towing capacity. As a preliminary Design Study showed that no one ton vehicle in service or contemplated overseas could be made air portable with the aircraft available to the Army, the argument for a local development was very strong.

In 1964 the Army tasked ADE to carry out a detailed design study, prepare concept drawings, a design specification, a full scale mock-up and an experimental model able to float and be carried in a Caribou transport aircraft. The establishment kept in close touch with the automobile industry through the Mechanical Engineering Industry Advisory Committee and by 1967 it was concluded that it was not feasible to combine a floating capability with the ease of cargo handling desired by the Army. Also at this time it was recognised that the air portability in Caribou would not be achieved if certain fitments such as the S250 Signal Shelter was to be incorporated. The Military Board deleted air portability in Caribou from the Military Characteristic although multiple carriage in Hercules aircraft was still required. In 1968 approval was given to build an experimental model and Design and Development Specification DD(X)188 was issued and Circulated to industry.

The design concept called for four-wheel drive with compact cab-over engine configuration and provision for rapid conversion of tray to flatbed operation. Differential locks were required on both front and rear axles and power take-offs for driving ancillary equipments and a powered trailer.

With eventual production in Australian industry in view, the design employed commercial components wherever possible and utilised proven automotive techniques; an exception was the specification of an ADE designed low speed transfer case, which was not available commercially. Tenders for the supply of pilot models were called and Chrysler, Ford, General Motors-olden, International Harvester, Rover and Volvo responded. In the meantime the ADE experimental vehicle based on the ¾ ton Land Rover chassis was displayed to Army and the Department of Supply in 1969.

Presumably the vehicle appealed to a majority of Army viewers, as a letter of intent was given to Ford and International Harvesters to produce four pilot models for competitive evaluation. The development was placed under the scrutiny of a Project Management Committee comprising members of Army, Supply and the contractors. The pilot models were delivered to Army in 1971 and trials were satisfactorily completed by later 1972.. The requirement for a vehicle possessing superior mobility to the 3.4 ton Land Rover was convincingly demonstrated.

At a Design Agreement Conference, which followed, the vehicle was accepted, but a number of reservations were expressed by the Army User Directorates. It was decided, therefore, to lend the pilot vehicles to selected users for a brief assessment. A draft specification for prototype vehicles was submitted to Army in 1973 following broadly the basic design of the Ford pilot vehicles, but with several components redesigned or replaced with International parts.

Doubts about the future of the one ton truck were raised at a meeting of the Army Material Committee held in May 1973 and this situation underlined continuing doubts expressed in the Army Office in Canberra.  It seems that, at no stage, did the project enjoy whole-hearted support throughout the Army. Finally, in September 1973, the project was cancelled, the official reason given being the continuous escalation of costs.

Development of a powered trailer for the one ton vehicle proceeded in parallel with the vehicle project. This feature extended the capacity and capability of a vehicle by converting it to six-wheeled drive configuration. The axle of the powered trailer was identical with that of the truck and special arrangements were made to ensure that the trailer did not drive the vehicle in certain conditions of traction. A contract was awarded to Ford for manufacture of three powered, and one un powered, versions but the requirement lapsed with cancellation of the vehicle successfully tested and the un powered version subsequently went into limited production.

As a comparison, development of the 101FC started in 1967, with a design team lead by Norman Bus by (14 October 1931 – 30 June 2005). Production took place between 1972 and 1978