British Army Takes 32 Casualties to ‘Vibrations’ From Problematic Ajax Combat Vehicles

The British Army has suspended the use of the new Ajax armoured fighting vehicles, after unusual noises and vibrations in several vehicles caused at least 32 casualties. Symptoms among personnel have included shaking and vomiting, in some cases resulting in the need for several days of medical care. The decision was taken following the Ajax’s use in Exercise Iron Fist conducted on Salisbury Plain, although the Ministry of Defence claimed that “no systemic issues were found” with the vehicles. The Ajax has long been a highly problematic program, with latest incident occurring just days after it was declared operational and safe by ministers, raising serious questions regarding the integrity of Ministry of Defence procurement processes for military equipment. Launched in 2014, the new type of vehicle was scheduled to begin deliveries in 2017, but has suffered from over eight years of delays due to significant noise and vibration problems. 

The Ajax program was initiated in 2010, and was intended to transform the British Army’s surveillance and reconnaissance capability, although major delays in delivering deployable vehicles and serious performance shortcomings caused multiple major scandals. Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Meg Hillier in 2022 program’s “repeated failures are putting strain on older capabilities which are overdue for replacement and are directly threatening the safety of our service people and their ability to protect the nation and meet NATO commitments.” In June 2023 a review of a troubled £5.5 billion ($7 billion) program concluded that there were “systemic, cultural and institutional problems” at the Ministry of Defence. The issues the program has faced have been far from isolated, with the United Kingdom’s largest post-Cold War weapons programs having widely been plagued with major issues. Notable examples that have gained significant attention include the Type 45 class destroyer and Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier programs, among several others.