AJAX turret in manned live fire testing
Manned live fire testing of the turret developed for the British Army’s Ajax vehicle has begun, Lockheed Martin UK announced on 6 November.
The initial testing began in October in west Wales. The formal qualification trials will include testing of the vehicle’s CTAI 40mm (CT40) cannon and the 7.62mm chain gun.
The initial phase tested firing from a static vehicle on a static target. The trials will continue over the coming months, progressing to fire on the move at a moving target. The manned firing will generate data to support manned crew clearance processes – assessing the safety and suitability of the platform for use by military personnel.
Lee Fellows, programme director for Ajax at Lockheed Martin UK, said: ‘This is a huge milestone for us and for the Ajax programme.
‘The Ajax firings have been successful and we are confident they will continue to be so as we progress through the trial. It’s another step towards getting this world-class capability to the British Army.’
The AJAX turret, developed by Lockheed Martin UK, shares commonality with the upgraded turret for the Ministry of Defence’s Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme.
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