Exclusive: Ajax rollout begins across the Army, eight years later than planned
Ajax, the Army's new medium-sized armoured vehicle, is finally being delivered to units across the British Army.
Elements of the Royal Armoured Corps and Royal Artillery have been supplied with the vehicle after an eight-year delay and a programme cost of £5bn.
Ajax suffered from well-publicised problems surrounding vibration and noise, but these have now been rectified, and this ultra-modern armoured fighting vehicle is now ready to go into service.
BFBS Forces News was present when vehicles were delivered to three key locations: the Queen's Royal Hussars in Tidworth, the Combat Manoeuvre Centre at Bovington and the Royal Lancers in Catterick.
Ajax is a family of six different types of vehicle.
AJAX is used for reconnaissance and direct fire, and is crewed by three people with the option of an additional passenger.
It is equipped with a fully stabilised 40mm cannon.
ATLAS is the recovery version and has more than 30 metric tonnes of winching power.
ARGUS is designed to carry out battlefield engineering tasks.
ATHENA is a command and control version.
APOLLO is a repair variant, being equipped with a five-tonne crane.
ARES is a troop carrier
Ajax is a step up in terms of technology, as some of the soldiers who are converting to the new platform learned their craft on Scimitars and Spartans – armoured vehicles that were devised around 60 years ago.
While the basic concept may be similar, the way these vehicles are operated is very different.
Trooper Annie Ponulak, who will soon get behind the wheel of an Ajax, explained how the new vehicle is driven with the hatch buttoned up, with the driver relying on its advanced sights and sensors.
This is the first of several delivery tranches for Ajax across the field Army.
By the end of 2028, some 589 vehicles are expected to have been delivered.
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