In a bid to address ongoing issues with the U.K.’s new Ajax armored vehicles, a British minister has pledged decisive action. The commitment comes amid growing pressure from political opponents who are demanding either a swift resolution or the termination of the program.
Currently, three investigations are examining the problematic vibrations experienced by the General Dynamics vehicles during a recent exercise, which occurred shortly after their initial operating capability was announced. This incident left 30 soldiers unwell, with some experiencing nausea and vomiting.
The armored vehicles were declared operational after a lengthy nine-year delay in the £6.3 billion ($8.4 billion) project, despite ongoing concerns over vibration issues. Luke Pollard, the U.K. Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, emphasized this during a parliamentary session, stating, “Prior to Ajax’s initial operating capability being announced, I asked for and was given assurances in writing by senior Ministry of Defence personnel that the system was safe.”
Pollard has since initiated daily discussions with General Dynamics, the manufacturer of the vehicles. He asserted, “Let me be clear, we will take whatever decisions are required to end this saga one way or another.” So far, around 160 units have been produced, with an eventual order for 589 vehicles anticipated.
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During the same parliamentary session, former defense procurement minister James Cartlidge voiced his frustration, noting the similarity of these issues to earlier ones he thought were resolved. “These renewed incidents with noise and vibration sound strikingly similar to the problems that I was assured, when I was minister for defense procurement, had been resolved,” he remarked.
He further expressed his dissatisfaction with the assurances received, stating, “We have both been misled about the viability of the Ajax program.” Cartlidge called for accountability from General Dynamics, saying, “Surely the only possible conclusion is that the Ajax vehicle is fundamentally flawed.”
Pollard echoed these sentiments, expressing his concern over the reported injuries. He acknowledged the possibility of a resolution, citing that, “the Ajax vehicle has completed 42,000 km of testing without those injuries taking place,” and emphasized the importance of understanding the root cause, as not all vehicles caused injuries during the exercise.
