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.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![AUSA 2025: Honeywell debuts SAMURAI CUAS system after demonstrations and trials]()
AUSA 2025: Honeywell debuts SAMURAI CUAS system after demonstrations and trials
The system is designed to operate against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and has been demonstrated for the US Army and Department of Defense. It is designed to be agnostic and provide software and C2 systems in support of a range of sensors and effectors.
-
![AUSA 2025: IAI looks to home country’s recent experiences to meet Golden Dome demands]()
AUSA 2025: IAI looks to home country’s recent experiences to meet Golden Dome demands
Israel has developed a multi-layered defence system over a number of decades to defeat a range of air threats. The system was recently put to the test against larger and more sophisticated missiles than it has previously had to face.
-
![AUSA 2025: Oshkosh unveils a new line of UGVs]()
AUSA 2025: Oshkosh unveils a new line of UGVs
The Family of Multi-Mission Autonomous Vehicles has been designed to operate in contested environments and support long-range precision fires, resilient formations and crewed/uncrewed teaming.
