The British military has announced the first delivery of Ajax armored vehicles – almost eight years after the initial deadline. The first 50 reconnaissance vehicles, each costing around £10 million, are finally ready for service and will be deployed to NATO's eastern flank. This was reported by UNN with reference to The Guardian.
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The delivery took place despite criticism amid the growing role of drones in modern warfare. Junior Defense Minister Luke Pollard confirmed that the equipment is "fully operational," although he acknowledged numerous delays – deliveries were initially planned for 2017, and then for 2020 and 2021.
There are many lessons we need to learn. Contracting took many years, when it should have taken only a few months.
According to him, Britain continues to support NATO allies and strengthen the Alliance's defense capabilities, but specific plans for the use of the armored vehicle have not yet been announced.
It is noted that the order for Ajax – a reconnaissance armored vehicle – was placed back in 2010, and deliveries were supposed to begin in early 2017. After signing a fixed contract for £5.5 billion with the American company General Dynamics, the deadlines were shifted to July 2020.
However, tests in 2020–2021 revealed serious problems – excessive vibration and noise, due to which eleven servicemen were under prolonged medical supervision due to tinnitus and hearing loss.
The minister noted that he could not disclose how many servicemen still have hearing problems, but assured that "these difficulties are now behind us" and that "we would not have allowed Ajax into service if it were unsafe."
Journalists who attended the equipment demonstration noted that Ajax is still quite loud, although the noise level is now within acceptable limits. According to the military, double hearing protection – earplugs and headphones – has made operation safer.
The main version of Ajax is designed for front-line reconnaissance – in the so-called "gray zone" or even behind enemy lines. The vehicle is capable of observing at a distance of up to eight kilometers, and its three crew members, thanks to a system of cameras and sensors, can remain inside for up to a week without going outside.
Due to delays, Ajax is entering service in the fourth year of the war in Ukraine, where armored vehicles have not shown a decisive advantage for either side. Cheap kamikaze drones are increasingly effectively destroying armor, easily detecting it near the front.
However, the military involved in the program does not consider Ajax a useless investment.
We will not fight like the Ukrainians. Ajax is not for trench warfare, it's a different concept.
He acknowledged that some reconnaissance tasks can be performed by drones, but emphasized their limitations:
If the wind picks up, we can't launch them, and the battery in most cheap models only lasts 30–60 minutes.
The creation of new reconnaissance armored vehicles is seen as part of maintaining Britain's overall military capability. The program also provides jobs for over 4,000 people in the country.
The Ministry of Defense has ordered 589 Ajax vehicles in various modifications, and full contract execution is expected by the end of the decade.