Head of the Army told me Ajax was safe to operate, Pollard tells Defence Committee
The head of the British Army assured ministers the Ajax armoured vehicle was "demonstrably safe" weeks before its use was paused over safety concerns, MPs have been told.
Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard told the Commons Defence Committee he'd received written confirmation from the Chief of the General Staff and the National Armaments Director that Ajax was safe.
Some 31 soldiers became ill while exercising on the Army's new AFV on Salisbury Plain only three weeks after Mr Pollard himself had assured its readiness.
Probe to assess accuracy of info
Three investigations have been launched into the incident, including one commissioned to assess the accuracy of the information given to ministers.
Mr Pollard said: "We took the unprecedented step because of the concerns around the Ajax programme in the past of asking for written confirmation before IOC was declared."
He said the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker, and the then-National Armaments Director, Andy Start, assured him the platform could be declared ready for Initial Operating Capability.
"That note to me set out very clearly, and I quote from it here, 'the objectively gathered evidence shows Ajax is demonstrably safe to operate'," Mr Pollard told the committee.
A troubled past
The £5.5bn Ajax project was launched in 2014, but faced a number of setbacks across the past decade.
More than 160 Ajax vehicles have been built so far out of an intended 589.
IOC status moved Ajax onto small unit testing, during which members of the Household Cavalry Regiment and the Royal Lancers became sick from noise and vibrations on the weekend of 22 November while on Exercise Titan Storm.
However, Mr Pollard declined to say whether he had been "told the truth… or misled" when asked by the chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi.
"I expect everyone in the MOD, be in uniform or civilian roles, to be providing good, accurate and timely advice," he said.
"We'll be taking steps within the ministerial team to commission a review to look at that advice… to get to a greater level of reassurance."
Ajax on hold – and so is decision
Mr Pollard added that he would not be making a decision on Ajax until the Army's preliminary investigation was complete.
Meanwhile, an investigation by the Defence Accident Investigation Branch has been launched.
When he was asked about the health of the injured soldiers, Mr Pollard said none required hospitalisation, and many had returned to normal duties.
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