A Trojan armoured engineering vehicle was the first platform to enter one of the new storage buildings operating by the British Army. Credit: Skanska

A new land maintenance and storage facility at MoD Ashchurch has welcomed its first vehicle – a British Army Trojan armoured engineer vehicle – as part of the Vehicle Storage and Support Programme (VSSP) to deliver improved long-term storage capabilities to the UK military.

Signed in the summer of 2022, the VSSP’s first completed asset – an administration building for military personnel – was handed over earlier in August 2024, with two more buildings to be completed this year at the site, with a further six structures in various stages of construction.

In a social media post on 5 August 2024, the British Army stated that the Trojan was at the head of the line of the first vehicles to enter the new storage facility, where up to 600 vehicles can be maintained in a climate-controlled environment.

The same day, engineering firm Skanska announced that it marked the second anniversary of the VSSP programme and was working to deliver the additional buildings through the ongoing construction phase, outlined above.

VSSP: delivering a new storage capability

The storage or maintenance of military vehicles in climate-controlled conditions provides considerable benefits in ensuring a platform’s return to operations, or else preserving the condition before it is sold, donated (as seen in generous quantities to Ukraine) or sent for disposal.

A significant milestone was reached in June 2023 with the erection of the first steel frame of the climate-controlled facility, which measured 165m x 99m, and, in a bizarre metric of measurement oft-used by the UK government, was listed as being the height of two London double decker buses.

Taking the actual height of a London bus, the new British Army storage facility is approximately 8.8m in height.

The shell of one of the storage sites seen in July 2023. Credit: Skanska

According to the UK government the VSSP at the Ministry of Defence site in Ashchurch will “enhance the Army’s operational readiness and future capability” through delivery of “modern sustainable storage and maintenance solutions” for its vehicle and equipment fleet.

The two-phase VSSP will provide vehicles with Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE) storage, reducing maintenance costs and unnecessary deterioration caused by extreme drops or rises in temperature. The facility will also include dedicated inspection and maintenance spaces, as well as office space.

The project will enable storage for up to 6,000 vehicles, and has an expected completion date of 2026.