The UK government says it is “confident” that Nato allies are interested in purchasing the long-delayed Ajax armoured vehicle, built in south Wales.
The multi-million-pound vehicles, manufactured in Merthyr Tydfil by General Dynamics, were originally due to enter service in 2019. However, the project has faced repeated criticism for mismanagement by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and was paused in June 2021 amid concerns that vibration and noise during training could cause hearing loss.
Now, after a troubled development period, the £6.3 billion project has reached a significant milestone, with the first vehicles ready for deployment with the Army.
Ajax comprises a family of six armoured vehicles with reconnaissance and recovery capabilities. All 589 units ordered are expected to be delivered by 2029. Without additional orders, production lines in Merthyr Tydfil could be left idle, putting hundreds of local jobs at risk.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard expressed optimism about the vehicle’s export potential. He said he was “confident” that the UK’s Nato allies would be interested in the “incredible” and “lethal” armoured vehicle, with potential sales securing the plant’s future.
“It has had problems in the past,” he told BBC Wales.
“It was right that trials were paused to look at those problems, but it was also right that the company got on top of them, working with the Army, working with the Ministry of Defence and General Dynamics to fix them.
“We now have an incredible, capable, next generation capability, that’s safe for the men and women of our forces to use, but importantly, is lethal against our adversaries if used on the battlefield.
“So it’s a really key part of our next generation British Army capabilities. But as a minister, I would not be putting it into service if I had any doubts about its safety.”
The Commons Defence Committee has described the project’s history as “deplorable,” while a 2023 review highlighted “systemic, cultural and institutional problems” at the MoD.
General Dynamics employs more than 700 people at its Merthyr Tydfil plant, which incorporates communications equipment developed at Oakdale in Caerphilly.
Apprentice Charlie Penfold said he was proud to work on the project.
“It’s incredibly prestigious when you work with the military and if you speak to friends or family and you say ‘I build armoured vehicles’ – there’s always a bit of a wow factor. I get to come here every day and look at these amazing vehicles.”
Design engineer Dinda Khairani praised the company’s wider community role.
“The company also supports the graduates and apprentices to go to, for example, different local schools to introduce engineering and everything, so I feel like the industry is growing in south Wales, so that’s a good place to start,” he said.
Pollard added: “I think the workforce here should be incredibly proud of what they have produced, a really capable, lethal platform that will make such a big difference to our armed forces.
“It’s because of that incredible capability that I’m confident that our allies are looking at this now and thinking about whether it can enhance their deterrence, their war-fighting abilities.
“The UK government, working with the Welsh government, have been promoting this platform to our allies, because I think there’s real opportunities to sell this platform to our allies, to export it, to see Ajax vehicles built in Wales, with a British supply chain supporting over 4,000 jobs being used by our allies within Nato and potentially further afield as well.”
Earlier this year, the UK government pledged to increase defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027, aiming to boost the country’s “war-fighting readiness.”
