British Army’s AJAX Vehicle Program on Track after GD Fixes Noise, Vibration Issues

The UK’s £5.5 billion AJAX armored vehicle project, running behind schedule over multiple issues, is back on track with the defence ministry restarting payments to General Dynamics (GD).

The Ajax family of vehicles covers six variants built to four different design standards, including engineering and armored personnel, among other specialist types.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a “firm price” contract with GD in 2014, aiming for deliveries to start three years later. The MoD had withheld payments since December 2020 after it identified serious noise and vibration problems during trials that caused hearing damage to some crews.

Initial transfer of £480 million will now be made to the company to recommence the program.

The modifications GD made to fix the issues include a redesign of seating mounts and extra cushioning, as well as remodified damping to hand controllers. The excessive noise issues have been addressed through the introduction of an inner ear piece providing communication functions as well as outer ear protectors.

On Monday, the government said modifications adapted to the beset vehicles successfully completed validation trials. More extensive trials are continuing.

The Ajax program is now scheduled to achieve initial operating capability (IOC) between July and December 2025, eight years later than originally planned.  It added full operating capability (FOC) would follow between October 2028 and September 2029.

The department said 589 Ajax vehicles would be delivered to the British armed forces. To date, 143 vehicles were substantially completed, with 416 hulls ready and awaiting further assembly work. About 120 turrets housing a new 40mm cannon are also complete. The turrets are being installed on the Ajax version of the platform.