General Dynamics UK delivers 100th Ajax armoured fighting vehicle to support British Army modernisation.

On April 14, 2025, General Dynamics UK announced that the 100th Ajax armoured fighting vehicle built to the latest operational standard has been completed and is scheduled for service with the Household Cavalry Regiment. This delivery is part of the British Army’s ongoing Armoured Cavalry Programme, which is progressing toward Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in the second half of 2025. The programme is being implemented under the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy and supports more than 4,000 jobs across the United Kingdom, including 750 direct positions at General Dynamics UK’s production facilities in South Wales. The Ajax family of vehicles is designed, manufactured, and supported entirely in the United Kingdom and is part of the British Army’s Future Soldier transformation plan.
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The Ajax programme originated as a replacement for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) [CVR(T)] family, which entered service in 1971. (Picture source: General Dynamics UK)

The Ajax programme originated as a replacement for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) [CVR(T)] family, which entered service in 1971. Following the cancellation of the joint UK–U.S. TRACER project, the Ministry of Defence initiated the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) to acquire a new generation of armoured vehicles. In 2010, General Dynamics UK was awarded the contract for the FRES Specialist Vehicle, using a modified ASCOD platform originally developed in the 1990s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug and Santa Bárbara Sistemas—both of which were later acquired by General Dynamics. In September 2014, the UK government placed a £3.5 billion order (excluding VAT) for 589 Ajax vehicles, consolidating a number of originally planned Block 2 variants into the Block 1 procurement.

Initial deliveries were scheduled for 2017. However, the programme encountered multiple delays and technical problems. In 2020, trials were suspended due to excessive noise and vibration affecting crew health and system performance. By 2021, testing revealed issues such as inconsistent hull dimensions, damage to electronic systems, instability of the turret while moving, and health complaints including hearing loss, nausea, and joint injuries among test personnel. A Defence Select Committee report criticised the progress of the Ajax programme and broader armoured vehicle procurement. The Ministry of Defence halted payments to General Dynamics UK and commissioned a legal review to examine programme management and health and safety concerns. Design modifications were implemented, and limited user trials resumed in October 2022. As of March 2025, 91 Ajax vehicles had been delivered, and over 180 are projected to be operational by the end of 2025. Full Operating Capability (FOC) is currently expected between October 2028 and September 2029, when all necessary training and conversions are scheduled to be completed.

Following the resolution of earlier technical issues, more than 70 Capability Drop 3 standard vehicles have been delivered. These platforms incorporate design modifications addressing noise and vibration. Data from recent testing indicates that 167 representative battlefield missions have been conducted and over 41,000 kilometres driven during mobility trials. Approximately 5,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition have been fired from the CTAI 40 mm cannon. Ajax vehicles have been delivered to three British Army units: the Combat Manoeuvre Centre at Bovington Camp, the Queen’s Royal Hussars at Tidworth Camp, and the Royal Lancers at Catterick Garrison. Public demonstrations of Ajax and Ares vehicles took place during Tankfest 2024 at the Bovington Tank Museum. In August 2024, the British Army completed its first live firing-on-the-move trial, following earlier cold-weather testing in Sweden under conditions reaching –36°C. The Ministry of Defence has stated that the programme, with current total costs around £5.5 billion, remains within its originally approved budget.

The main armament of the Ajax reconnaissance variant is the CTAI CT40 40 mm cannon, which uses cased telescoped ammunition and has a stated effective engagement range exceeding 4 kilometres, while the secondary armament includes a 7.62 mm L94A1 coaxial chain gun. (Picture source: UK MOD)

The Ajax programme includes six vehicle variants based on a common tracked chassis. These are: Ajax (reconnaissance and strike), Ares (Protected Mobility Recce Support), Athena (Command and Control), Apollo (repair), Atlas (recovery), and Argus (engineering reconnaissance). The original order of 589 vehicles includes 245 turreted Ajax variants—subdivided into 198 Reconnaissance and Strike, 23 Joint Fire Control, and 24 Ground-Based Surveillance; 93 Ares troop carriers; 112 Athena command vehicles; 51 Argus engineering reconnaissance vehicles; 50 Apollo repair vehicles; and 38 Atlas recovery vehicles. These platforms are intended for use within Armoured Brigade Combat Teams and the Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team.

The Ajax vehicle has a baseline weight of 38 tonnes with growth potential to 42 tonnes. Its dimensions are 7.62 metres in length, 3.35 metres in width, and 3.00 metres in height. It is powered by an MTU Friedrichshafen V8 engine producing 600 kW (800 bhp), connected to a RENK HSWL 256B six-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle uses torsion bar suspension and has a maximum road speed of 70 km/h. Ajax includes a 20 Gbit/s open Ethernet-based electronic architecture capable of processing and storing six terabytes of sensor data. This information can be shared through the Bowman communications system. A silent auxiliary power generator is installed to support onboard electronics and surveillance systems during stationary operations.

The main armament of the Ajax reconnaissance variant is the CTAI CT40 40 mm cannon, which uses cased telescoped ammunition and has a stated effective engagement range exceeding 4 kilometres. Secondary armament includes a 7.62 mm L94A1 coaxial chain gun. UK testing has also included integration of the Kongsberg Protector Remote Weapon Station, configured with a 7.62 mm L7 general-purpose machine gun and a Javelin anti-tank guided missile. The vehicle incorporates an ISTAR suite with target acquisition, automated tracking, and long-range identification capabilities. The turret ring, measuring 1.7 metres in diameter, allows additional space for internal systems and personnel. Ajax has a three-person crew and can operate as part of a networked force. The vehicle is designed to accommodate future system upgrades and payloads.

Final assembly of the Ajax vehicles takes place in the UK. As part of a £390 million support agreement, production of the last 489 vehicles was moved from Spain to the UK. General Dynamics UK established assembly operations at a facility in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Approximately 80% of manufacturing work is carried out domestically, with 70% of suppliers based in the UK. The programme supports approximately 4,100 jobs across 230 suppliers. Key subcontractors include Lockheed Martin UK (turret and fire control systems), Rheinmetall (turret manufacturing), Thales UK (sight systems), and Meggitt (ammunition handling). Future variant proposals under consideration include a mortar carrier, a mobile firepower platform with a 120 mm cannon, a SHORAD variant, and an ambulance configuration