UK MoD calls in experts to assess ‘serious' Ajax issues

Independent experts are to assess “serious” vibration issues with the General Dynamics Land Systems-UK (GDLS-UK) Ajax family of armoured vehicles after the company did not report the problem to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Independent experts are to assess “serious” vibration issues with the Ajax family of armoured vehicles. (Crown copyright)

UK Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin told Parliament on 8 June of the move to have Ajax vehicles assessed for vibration by the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

Quin described the vibration issues as “serious” but revealed that GDLS-UK had not reported the issue from its own company trials. The issue was detected by MoD experts, he said.

Millbrook experts are expected to report back by the end of July, said the minister. They are to place sensors “all over the vehicles to test where the vibration is happening and whether we can isolate it. It may be resolvable quickly; it may not be”.

“We are concerned about vibration,” said Quin. “I have to say that over many thousands of miles of testing General Dynamics has not had the same experience of vibration, but I absolutely trust the reports that have come to me from our service personnel. We are determined to get to the bottom of this. I can assure [Parliament] that we will not take anything into initial operating capability [IOC] until we are satisfied that we are getting the kit that we require.”