The British Army’s future Ajax armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) has completed its first firing on the move exercise in the UK, according to the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S).
In an 8 August 2024, post on social media, DE&S stated that the Ajax AFV had conducting on-the-move firings of its 40mm main gun following earlier cold weather trials in Sweden, as the type continues a series of trials ahead of future entry into service.
A distinct difference of the Ajax platform compared to the Warrior IFV it will in part replace is the use of the CTA International 40mm main gun, which is stabilised to enable firing on the move. The Warrior uses the unstabilised 20mm Rarden cannon, a significant disadvantage in the mobility-driven doctrine of today’s modern battlespace.
The Warrior would have seen the benefit of the CTA International 40mm main gun had its Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) been completed, which would have been integrated into a new turret. However, the Warrior CSP was cancelled in 2021.
Although it was not disclosed where the Ajax mobility firing trials took place, on 8 August QinetiQ stated that it had welcomed a senior DE&S and British Army delegation, including Major General Lizzie Faithfull-Davies (Director Land Equipment), at its Hurn Proving Ground to observe “several trials”.
Ajax and its delayed entry into service
The British Army’s Ajax armoured cavalry programme will not reach its initial operating capability (IOC) until December 2025, according to a timeline released on 22 July by the UK government.
By January 2024, more than six months had passed since the last of the 44 units delivered in June 2023 had been handed over, as crews continued familiarisation with the platform.
According to a UK Parliament report published in March 2023, the UK MoD had a firm price contract of £5.5bn ($6.9bn) with GDUK to deliver 589 vehicles. It is understood that IOC is achieved once 50 units of the 589 total have been delivered, which will see 27 used by a deployable squadron, with the remaining 23 utilised by the British Army for crew and maintainer training.
In January 2024 it was disclosed that 152 Ajax programme vehicles had been built, representing just over 25% of the planned total fleet number. The latest standard of the vehicle, known as Capability Drop 3, had been accepted” by the UK Ministry of Defence, with deliveries reported to be “on track” to achieve IOC.
The Ajax programme had been halted in 2021 due to excessive vibration and noise leaving crews in need of medical attention, entering Reliability Growth Trails at the start of 2023.
According to official UK data it was revealed that personnel operating Ajax in Reliability Growth Trials were using “dual layer” headsets, comprising of the in-service Crewguard Mk2 headset and the Communications Ear Piece inner headset.
In total the programme is intended to deliver the platforms across six variants, incorporating the Ajax infantry fighting vehicle, Apollo armoured recovery vehicle, Ares armoured personnel carrier, Argus reconnaissance vehicle, Athena command post vehicle, and Atlas engineering vehicle into British Army service.
