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Beleaguered Ajax programme moves on with new, much later, in-service dates

20th March 2023 - 17:00 GMT | by Harry Lye in London

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Ajax will eventually give the British Army a new armoured offensive reconnaissance capability as well five other variants for different roles. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)

The UK's Ajax armoured vehicle programme faces further delays, with platforms not entering service until 2025 and full operating capability not until 2028-29, causing concern for the British Army's modernisation plans.

The UK MoD has today announced the revision of in-service dates for the beleaguered Ajax programme and that payments to manufacturer General Dynamics would resume this month.

These were paused in December 2020 due to concerns over noise and vibration problems with the platform.

The vehicles will now enter service between July and December 2025, five years later than initially planned when the development and manufacturing contract was awarded in 2014.

Full operating capability is now planned for between October 2028 and September 2029, at least four years later than the British Army originally envisaged.

In the interim, regiments will

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