Ok, i'm back for elaboration!!
The selection of a replacemebt for the series 3 land rover in army service began all the way back in 1980 when the army rote a requirement for new vehicles for some time in the mid 1980's (obviusly it happened a little later than that).
Army Staff Requiremebt 63.11 - Army's range of light field vehicles was completed 13 Feb 1981 for an in service date of 1984/85 at an estimated cost of (in 1980 prices) $0.014m for the light utility, and $0.022m for the Light. This dcument, which I will attempt to digitise today, lays out what hte vehicle needs to be able to do, a specification in essence, just a 20 odd page one outlaying dimensions, capabilities, specifications and characteristics. The document does not infer, nor is it intended to infer, any specific vehicle to fulfil the 2 weight classes.
As I understand it, land rover actually anticipated the need and had started working on prototypes.
Some time after the Army Staff Requirement was issued, an expression of interest was released, and in July 1982 a tender was released to the prefered manufacturers who responded to the expression of interest to provide vehicles for competitive trials. In the 4x4 there was Land Rover, Jeep and Mercedes. In 2 ton there was Land Rover and Mercedes.
For the trials Land Rover produced 4 1 ton 4x4 vehicles, and 5 6x6 vehicles. Land rover kept one 4x4, the amry got 3 for trials. This unit, and the one at bandiana are 2 of those 3 significant vehicles. I have heard that at least 2 of the Jeeps still exist, and at least one in original condition. I have heard that the mercs may also still exist. In the 6x6 land rovers, bandiana now has 2 of these. Land rover retained 2, one was disassembled, one became the wide body, and later dual cab prototype. This vehicle now resides at bandiana along wiht one of the original trials 6x6 vehicles.
From there the trials were completed, the assessments made, and report made, and a choice made, which we know was Land Rover. Then variants needed were discussed, negotiations occurred and contracts issued. Land Rover had developed a range of models, and the army of course had some ideas on vehicles that they needed. The command post was mooted as being needed, but after initial production was not required, or was overtaken by the parakeet. The SRV came about as a development of the RFSV as an example.
It is worth noting that land rover wanted one continious produciton run to keep the costs down, but the government or army wanted a split run, which we now know as Perentie and Bushranger, and as predicted, the costs were higher for the bushranger vehicles because of the break in production.
I hope that clears things up a little.
