The UK Ministry of Defence will resume tests and acceptance of Ajax armored fighting vehicles after a safety review cleared the program to move forward.
London paused testing in late 2025 after approximately 30 soldiers reported symptoms including vomiting, hearing loss, and shaking during a multinational exercise in England.
A subsequent investigation found no single cause, citing a mix of technical issues, training variability, cold exposure, and air quality, while noise and vibration levels were confirmed within legal limits.
All affected personnel have already returned to duty, most with temporary symptoms.
British Defence Minister Luke Pollard said trials will restart in phases, beginning with a limited number of vehicles under stricter parameters.
Planned upgrades include improvements to air filtration, crew heating, and electrical systems.
The government assured that the latest fixes will stay within the program’s existing budget.
“The experience for our soldiers using Ajax has not been good enough and that is not acceptable,” Pollard stated. “We know we have more to do to rebuild confidence in the vehicle, and we do not underestimate the work still ahead.”
“We will continue… to proceed safely, responsibly, and transparently to deliver an improved Ajax user experience for our soldiers.”
The Ajax Program
The UK’s 6-billion-pound ($8.1 billion) Ajax program was launched in 2014 to provide more than 500 new armored combat platforms to the British Army for the first time in nearly three decades.
General Dynamics builds the vehicles in South Wales, where the program supports about 700 jobs. The company launched the 100th Ajax system under the initiative in April 2025.
Once fielded, the vehicle will replace the military’s decommissioned Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance – Tracked fleet that was introduced in the 1960s.
Each Ajax measures 8 meters (26 feet) long and will be armed with a 40-millimeter cased telescope autocannon, a 7.62-millimeter chain gun, a Javelin anti-tank system, and advanced sensors.
The vehicle is fitted with a RENK six-speed transmission and an MTU V8 engine with an output of 800 horsepower for a speed of 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour and a range of about 500 kilometers (311 miles).
