Ajax armoured vehicle programme
Merthyr Tydfil, Wales (assembly) · 2010 (programme began) - 2029 (Full Operating Capability expected) · £5.5 billion (firm price contract); £5.4 billion (estimated forecast cost to completion)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchProgramme described as "troubled" by the Defence Secretary due to persistent issues. - MOD's management of the programme criticised by parliamentary committees and the National Audit Office. - Payments to GDLS-UK were paused due to noise and vibration concerns. - An independent Lessons Learned Review was commissioned to investigate programme failures. - Initial operating capability significantly delayed from 2017 to 2025, and full operating capability to 2028-2029.
Key engineering challenges
Addressing excessive noise and vibration issues impacting personnel health. - Integrating advanced sensors and communication systems for a fully digitalised platform. - Overcoming significant delays in achieving initial and full operating capability.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- British Army / UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)
- Lead contractor
- General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS-UK)
- Lead designers
- General Dynamics UK
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 589 vehicles across six variants (Ajax, Ares, Athena, Argus, Atlas, Apollo)
- Disciplines
- Mechanical engineering; systems engineering; electronics; software engineering; human factors engineering
- Standards & frameworks
- UK military procurement standards; health and safety regulations.
Sources: Parliament Commons Library: Ajax: The British Army’s troubled armoured vehicle programme (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9764/) - General Dynamics UK: AJAX (https://generaldynamics.uk.com/businesses/land-systems/ajax/)