New British Armored Fighting Vehicle Shocked The World

Back in the 1990s it was decided that the British Army needed to replace their ageing fleet of light reconnaissance vehicles that have been in active service for over 40 years. They also wanted to buy a ‘platform’ armored fighting vehicle. This is the base vehicle that could come in many variants to perform different jobs on the battlefield. They would all share the same basic mechanical parts to simplify the logistics of supplying spare parts, training mechanical engineers and giving them the right equipment to maintain and fix these Armored Fighting Vehicles. This is when the Ajax program first came to life. In this video we are going to take a closer look at the Ajax Armored Fighting Vehicle, and see just how much progress has been made in getting it ready for operation.
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Video and image credit: General Dynamics UK.

[@ionfreak83]

Oh yeah this vehicle shocked so much that it caused the crew to suffer nausea, swollen joint, tinnitus, and hearing loss due to the excessive vibration and noise. The vibration also caused electronic systems to be damaged, prevents the armament from stabilizing and the suspension problems means that the turret cannot fire while on the move. Its shocked the world that this vehicle hasn't been cancelled yet.

[@Bobario1]

Warrior can't fire on the move either. Nothing new there.

[@dc-4ever201]

There's no new news on the Ajax since there trials were halted due to safety issues and the vehicles total failure to achieve any goals set out. It is impressive on paper that is as far as it gets. They replaced a scout tank with an IFV thats 8 Tons with 42 Tons, why the he'll they did this and ordered Boxer which is successful btw and also an IFV is beyond me. Well at least they can take the turrets off these and stick them on Boxer hulls. General Dynamics sold the MoD a Turkey based on the ascod which has never worked correctly. Someone at the MoD was clearly bribed to accept this PoS when the CV90 made by BaE systems is proven, successful and upgraded constantly. An investigation by Parliament and the Police is needed to find out where our ££ Billions have gone!

[@peter.a.langan5872]

US MIC and bribery to take an overpriced pos, I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!

[@dc-4ever201]

@@peter.a.langan5872 Yup ain't capitalism great, where bribery and corruption are the veritable grease that seems to slip in everywhere.

[@thearmouredpenguin7148]

Never attribute to a conspiracy ( or a bribe ), that which can more easily be explained by incompetence.

[@dc-4ever201]

@@thearmouredpenguin7148 There's no other way to explain how a non working vehicle beats working ones in trials. Even incompetence of ludicrous levels doesn't cover that and well we know how the defence industry does things, bribes and back handers are a way of life to those kind of people.

[@gurglejug627]

smile, relax, it's the UK - part of Pakistan. No worries.

[@immortallvulture]

Highly unlikely this platform will ever see service as its now well behind its delivery deadline and so far no vehicles have been found to be of acceptable standard. Problems with the vibration and noise are now well known and general dynamics does not even know if it can be fixed

[@mementomori7825]

Fun tho, they could just get the CV 90 instead.

[@kingcurry6594]

Correct. This is one of the biggest scandals in British military history and the MOD should be suing General Dynamics for the full cost of the program.

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@@mementomori7825 or the standart ASCOD on wich Ajax is based.... seems to function well in austrian and spanish service....

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@paladin danse well, there are succesful ones like Puma, Boxer, KF-41

[@Mike7O7O]

@@mementomori7825 no dice, we're selling those to Ukraine and anyone else prepared to cough up.

[@MichaelKng-fk5jk]

Fact is it's absolutely useless! The vehicle moving causes serious medical conditions to every crew and passenger. As a result the UK has completely stopped all further vehicles and all training or use of the donkey vehicle. Thank you General Dynamics, the wonderful US engineering at work! Time we went back to good old British engineering!

[@Cartoonman154]

I think they resumed testing the other day. “I wish to provide an update on the AJAX equipment project that is part of the Armoured Cavalry Programme. My first concern is the safety of our personnel, which has been at the forefront of the work that has been ongoing over the summer. I am pleased to be able to inform the House that, following agreement from the AJAX Safety Panel, this work has led to resuming the User Validation Trials paused earlier this year and since Monday 10th October there have been eight days of trials. Successful completion of User Validation Trials will allow progression toward Reliability Growth Trials. I will continue to ensure that the House is kept updated on these matters.” More guff.

[@travisedmonds4214]

Good British engineering? From the unsinkable titanic, the amazing Valient tank, to the SA80. Britain has a long proud history excellence in engineering.

[@BS3RED]

@@travisedmonds4214The L85A3 Is actually a pretty tidy rifle now. Only took 20 years mind.

[@MichaelKng-fk5jk]

@@travisedmonds4214 Titanic (unsinkable a press speculation), more a command error wasn't it? Still a long proven fact not to tangle with icebergs. Valient, a prototype, like many Nations experiment. Why not the Centurion? Challenger, the only modern battle tested MBT not to be taken out by enemy action, unlike the Abrams with was a RPG magnet it was so easy to engage. Warrior, much feared by every enemy that met it. The SA80, issues at start because of Government cost constriction, just look at the AR issues which were much worse. The SA80 Mk3 is up there with the best of the world and easily beats them on accuracy. Yes you'll say HK but, it's HK Nottingham, nothing German there, just visit it! Even the SA80 Mk1 you'd not like to be in front of. I saw some minor issues, never did it not fire if you knew the weapon, massively badly reported by certain units that had an agenda to adopt what the SAS were using. If you think British engineer still doesn't lead in ways you know zero about submarines, space, jet engines, crypto, electronic warfare. Maybe not the richest nation anymore

[@Cartoonman154]

@@BS3RED Decrepied infrastructure, Hyatt Regency walkway collapse, Three-mile island, Tacoma Narrows Bridge, New Orleans Levees, St. Francis Dam, Kemper Arena, Pinto, Challenger Space Shuttle, Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion. ETC . America has a long proud history of excellence in engineering. Don't be such a MeriMutt.

[@petermeyerhoff8737]

Army would have been better off with CV90, proven technology and off the shelf. No test and development costs.

[@csm2455]

The problem was not that they went with ASCOD over CV90, the problem was that they had so many custom add ons which required additional development. If they utilise those systems in other projects then it begins to pay for itself but we’ll see 🤷‍♂️

[@ballbag3460]

Replacement for bae cv90 is being planned already. A lot of people say cv90 yeah! Well it will be old hat in coming years. AJAX any day of the week.

[@darrenjones3681]

People also overlooked two facts due EU military contracts regulations it deters the mod from buying British, which is ridiculous as France and Germany only buy from their own manufacturers, secondly CV90 is amphibious Ajax is not missing out on an important capability

[@luisalizondo4973]

CV90 forever

[@dwwolf4636]

yep

[@dc-4ever201]

At least it's tried and tested as well as updated constantly. BaE even offered to build the hulls here and integrate the CT40 turrets already manufactured for Ajax.

[@trevorhart545]

@@dc-4ever201 Civil Servants who accept bribes made the decision on GD UK?

[@dc-4ever201]

@@trevorhart545 I wouldn't be surprised, I mean how else does someone turn a blind eye to let a broken vehicle win a competition against working ones?

[@peterwait641]

@@dc-4ever201 The contract was paid on production milestones , not much incentive to fix early on !

[@markfield6204]

Informative and concise: excellent.

[@incredible_facts]

Thank you!

[@barrygower6733]

The shock is that £5bn has been spent on Ajax and that is has been scrapped.

[@dallen521]

No shock. The MOD has wasted billions and billions on failed IFV developments for decades.

[@simonb4757]

@@dallen521 And they contine that trend by procuring Boxer, great vehicle, juat not for the job they are buying it for, it a not a Warrior replacement.

[@tommyjansson9981]

Buy the CV90

[@allgood6760]

Awesome! 👍

[@carlsmith653]

It has a crew of 2. Commander, gunner and driver.

[@atomgrav6861]

They made a 40k Chimera .. Very cool

[@dc-4ever201]

Would be cooler if it actually worked and wasn't more dangerous to it's crews than the enemy.

[@EMTBAFV]

It only shocked the UK by getting dropped from production for causing serious sickness problems for the crew

[@Petriefied0246]

What shocked the world was how badly it was bungled and how poorly it does the job it's designed for.

[@gitara2D]

I'm so shocked I couldn't sleep. :]

[@chrisbacon3071]

my thoughts on the *cough* Ajax is hold back on it upgrade the warrior with a new turret and whatever else it needs whilst researching how to fix the Ajax and its many problems and if the Ajax can't be fixed then your just left with an upgraded warrior so you can start a new or buy hint hint pre-existing IFV's hint hint.

[@tattyheid7279]

The taxpayers would be delighted at this suggestion :)

[@hisredrighthand5212]

Since the UK is already on track to operate the largest fleet of Boxers in the world and is churning them out from two plants, it might be an idea worth contemplating to take all the bleeding edge technology from the Ajax and build the most advanced mission module to date for the Boxer, along with some modular armor solution to get the required protection level. One approach could be combining the highest available protection level armor kit with an APS like Trophy or AMAP-ADS. There are plenty of countries that operate the Boxer and would probably be VERY interested in ways to turn their Boxers into light/medium tanks or whatever the correct term for that kind of vehicle is - at what would likely be a fraction of the cost for say a brand new Leopard 2A8. If I’m not mistaken, ordered in small numbers those easily cost €17 million per unit. Imagine if the UK could offer a package consisting of mission module and armor upgrade for £5 million say to the Baltic nations that operate Boxers but don’t operate a single tank.

[@paulhill1665]

The warrior upgrade program has been dropped, with the Boxer to replace it, not ideal, as the Boxer is an APC, not an IFV.

[@chrisbacon3071]

@@paulhill1665 yes the warrior program was dropped mainly because the turrets kept warping and break the hull and the boxer might not be an IFV but because of its modularity it can become an IFV just look at the Australian Boxer. Also did you look at when I posted this comment? It’s old news by now! One could even say because it’s so old it wrong.

[@timhancock6626]

Incredible sales pitch more like 😉

[@dennismorgan7297]

Why don't they go for the lynx cv90

[@alaincarmona6634]

Lovely😮

[@cameron1999cam]

3:52 that’s that 40mm Gmg my friend 😂

[@dannyblackwell2426]

we need to cancel this shambles and get what we can back in terms of money and go for the CV90

[@ronlumsden3164]

This vehicle is rubbish. How many vehicles do you know that the crew get sea sick in it Some of the time it's ok but it starts to rock as it's reached a certain speed travelling over rough ground. I'm told it's not bad on the smoth highway. And it has other problems that haven't been fixed as well. Told looks good but a rubbish vehicle. This is from men who did the testing, not some one reading out of a book trying to sell these view. This has been going on for years still hasn't passed test or fixed.up these problems.

[@RR-us2kp]

Too much invested

[@dannyblackwell2426]

@@RR-us2kp yep with so many ex military and MPS with shares in the company not surprised

[@everTriumph]

But will any of them be better than the Warrior? especially if upgraded to the same specs.

[@geraldjagla5539]

hope they can resolve it the men and women of the british army should have the best equipement and support and training as needed

[@thearmouredpenguin7148]

No matter how much lipstick you put on it, it's still going to look like a pig.

[@Codydawg1]

Faults have been fixed, programme continues.

[@COBBETT1215]

Looks to me like it's made of Meccano; (For those of you who are old enough to remember what that was).

[@pencilpauli9442]

Was thinking the same. lol

[@beachboy0505]

Most of the hulls are complete, just a matter of finishing them.

[@garyburley1960]

you can fix most vibrations and noise by glueing rubber panels to the inside walls, i've done it over a hundred times to shaky body vehicles and large industrial machines that have mystery vibrations

[@tatradak9781]

That's not solving the problem.. Its covering it up.. It will be cancelled because even at £10m each that's double the price of the proven CV90..

[@adolfshitler]

I'm so shocked 😳 over this new fighting vehicle, said nobody in the world ever!!

[@inkedseahear]

They're shocked how incompetent the development and delivery process is

[@MrPmaddocks]

The fact that is got this far along without anyone bringing up the issue with vibration seems to be indicative of some corruption in the process if not individuals.

[@johnwright9372]

Any comments about Gen Dynamics being American? Has the UK now acquired the Military Industrial Complex?

[@mrjockt]

Isn’t it wonderful, they took a design that had been in use for over twenty years in a couple of other countries and completely screwed it up.

[@AS-yc3wp]

Good video, although they wont be relying on the Warrior due to delays with Ajax, Ajax is for recce, the warrior is an infantry fighting vehicle and is being replaced by the boxer. To think, I almost stayed in the army out of the excitement of getting to work with the Ajax, the equipment on this thing is impressive, glad i didn't as that was 20 years ago, such a badly handled procurement. I also think it is too big and noisy for a recce vehicle, the Scimitar was the perfect recce vehicle, they just needed to make a newer version with better protection, rubber tracks and quieter gearbox.

[@dallen521]

Scimitar had rubber tracks. All the CVRT family did. They certainly did in the 1970s and 1980s. Or am I misunderstanding what you mean?

[@AS-yc3wp]

@@dallen521 I think your mistaken, they never did, I used to drive them and fire them. There was talk of a trial in the 90's but it never happened. There was no rubber tracks before I drove them as far as I am aware, I was also the trained mechanic on them and did not hear of rubber tracks before my time.

[@dallen521]

@@AS-yc3wp I have also utilised CVRT. They had rubber inserts in the trucks from what I remember back in the 1980s.

[@AS-yc3wp]

@@dallen521 oh ok gotcha, they were the bushes for the link pins in the tracks. I'm talking full rubber tracks with no metal. Same as a car, where you have metal in metal contact, you either oil it, grease it or bush it 😁

[@petermeyerhoff8737]

Yes it was supposed to replace the scimitar/scorpion platform. I can't quite see how a 40+ tonne monster is going to fit the role. I think they lost their way along the route. It's practically a medium tank. It sort of follows British military weapon procurement - design, constantly change, invest to the point of research testing and development then either give it away (if it works) or throw it away if it doesn't. Nation of lions led by a heard of donkeys.

[@CliveWilmer]

How did it get to a production contract with these problems. surely they were revealed in trials of the prototypes?

[@user-ru2yl2pj9x]

👆👆👆 I've got something special for you

[@davidjonah7402]

That weight is comparable to the Sherman tank in the second world war

[@aymonfoxc1442]

It's comparable with some MBTs...

[@alexanderzink9877]

Da war jetzt aber nichts dabei, was mich geschockt hat! Ist halt eine Multifunkionsplatform wo deshalb viele Kompromisse eingehen muss.

[@tonkerdog1]

I think Ukraine has shown that a child’s drone is far more deadly than a 30 ton vehicle.

[@joeie5979]

The only thing that the Ukraine/US adventure shows is that NATO is loosing the war despite pumping up it's proxi to the brim .8 years of training and equipping this ukrainian proxi army for nothing . The whole place will be destroyed ....it is a shame .

[@tonkerdog1]

@@joeie5979 Are you seriously suggesting NATO made Putin invade ?

[@gordonshrubb7155]

The world was shocked OMG.

[@mrfitz96]

What SHOCKED me is how often you use the word SHOCKED in your video titles. I'm SHOCKED the world is still turning what with so many SHOCKS happening all over the place.

[@thearmouredpenguin7148]

Yes, it's absolutely shocking how often "Shocked" is used.

[@mikestarkey7989]

Yes the cost has SKY ROCKETED since this vlog was made.

[@timsweet3224]

the scorpion had cracking in the armour when first entering soivice .

[@maxmoore9955]

What shocks me is use of shocks the world, before everything you produce. SHOCKING ,SHOUKETH ,SHAKEN ,

[@soundfx68]

I'm shocked!!

[@Luigi13]

It sounds just like when vehicles are recalled with issues found afterwards. These military armored vehicles are not that easy to dissassemble and fix the problem it would take a very long time. Too bad if war breaks out and they need the equipment.

[@dc-4ever201]

It didn't help that the hulls supplied were all different sizes, so the engineers in the UK had difficulty trying to isolate what was causing the deafening vibrations. In production, if you're gonna build something on a line, it helps if they parts are the same size so if problems are found they can find the cause easily.

[@marcbrehaut9510]

Or that the lack of quality control resulted in hull sides of different lengths on some vehicles.

[@ericatkinson9285]

Surely the suspension only needs hardening ?

[@razor1uk610]

it's not just the suspension, but the material specifications of the alloy its hull's made from, and the thicknesses of parts of it too - with that amount of vibrations, the material is too thin to dampen resonating vibrations within the structural material itself - its likely an aluminium alloy, that could well become very brittle with age/service life just like the USN's LCS's hull have caused them all to be stricken from the registers & scrapped.

[@kubinka879]

Would appear the MOD are responsible for a multitude of changes as the programme. Too few companies manufacturing military vehicles. I would have gone German, they build vehicles that work!

[@hardcorealf8684]

As the Boxer has now been purchased and will become the standard IFV, then go with the Rheinmetall lynx kf41 it has the modular build that they are looking for.

[@davewarrender2056]

FFS we had a full fleet of recon vehicles , shoulda just upgraded/redesigned , instead of this

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@@davewarrender2056 50+ years old vehicles though. some times a new vehicle has to enter service to keep up with the times.

[@davewarrender2056]

@@zhufortheimpaler4041 I know that. But remember the saying , if it ain't broke don't fuck with it. They couldda upgraded engine , supercharged instead of turbo , therefore giving full power band at any revs , they could've redesigned all-sorts on the vehicle using modern materials , the cannon , couldda been fitted with gyroscopic gun control , as well as remote operation. This is the problem, Britain has a history of finding a weapons platform that works, and then running off and paying stupid money for a flash one , that is untested .REF: l85A1 , SLR , BREN LMG.

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@@davewarrender2056 its actually more like this: the uk decides on a "unique" way of doing stuff and continues to do it that way, even though general consensus, technical and physcial limitations etc clearly state that this way is one of the worst possible ways to do something. Then excuses and elaborate stories are invented to support this choice. this whole move costs the UK every time they do it. Look at the 120mm rifled. has been obsolete since 1978 (or one could say even since 1962). 25%-35% lower performence than contemporary 120mm smoothbores from rheinmetall, penetrator developement stagnates for the last 30 years. Excuse: but its more precise (it isnt) and it can fire HESH wich is better vs soft targets (HEAT-MP-FS does the same job and more for decades)

[@robjmck]

Scrap it and go for wheeled versions without the many faults!

[@mementomori7825]

Oooor the CV90

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@@mementomori7825 or KF-41, or Boxer CRV etc

[@col4574]

It was the bang it made when it backfired

[@paullakowski2509]

THE PHOTOS I'VE SEEN LOOKS LIKE ITS ARMOUR IS FROM A MECANO SET?????

[@Storlans]

everyone who does ride in them gets a shocking experience as i read it :D

[@gezalesko3813]

The pricetag what the MIC will put on it will certanly shock all of us....

[@jammiedodger7040]

CVRT can not be replaced by the Ajax

[@dproulx222]

I have not heard of Spain complaining of having similar problems with its own ASCOD.... Either way... at this point it would be more prudent do buy a premade IFV directly from Sweden, the US,, Germany or South Korea.

[@stevenbreach2561]

They're all shocked at how we could fuck up a half tidy platform,and make it more dangerous to it's crews than an enemy

[@kickboxerforever00]

The BOXER is now coming into British army and it's way better, we are still keeping warriors and upgrading the main gun from a 30 mm to a 40 mm Cannon mostly for infantry support and urban warfare, or anything bigger we have of course the new Challenger 3 MBT tanks

[@paulhill1665]

The Warrior upgrade has been abandoned. Current plan is to replace the Warrior with the boxer. The Warrior was an IFV, the boxer is a APC, completely different tasks.

[@simonb4757]

Anyone who thinks Warrior is still getting an upgrade has been living under a rock for the past year and a half or more. Boxer is replacing Warrior (and maybe Ajax, only time will tell) even though its not actually suited to either the Warrior's role or Ajax's role. But buying Boxer is yet another tale of woe in British Military procurement, the right vehicle for the wrong job.

[@TheBooban]

@@paulhill1665 uh? By APC you mean not armed. That’s wrong. Boxer very much armed. All kinds. Boxer is just wheeled. Some terrain, you need tracks.

[@paulhill1665]

@@TheBooban currently the versions being procured by the UK do not include an IVF, just the protected mobility version, e.g. a battlefield taxi, or an APC. AN IFV requires heaver weapons to be able to support troops, such as the now cancelled upgrade to the warrior, with the new 40mm gun system. Given the current state of the UK finances, who is to say that the Boxer program will even continue. The recently announced planned increase in the UK defence spending to 3% of GDP has already been dropped.

[@ThisGuyAd.]

Isn't this replacing the warrior, not the older Simitar? I may be wrong 😅

[@redcoat192]

AJAX was binned as it makes the crew feel ill!

[@1guitarlover]

That platform is based upon Spanish Pizarro vehicle, which works perfectly. I do not understand why this british prototype presents so many problems.

[@bollard49]

The only thing that shocked the world is just how awful it is. General Dynamics should have to pay all of the money back.

[@nasdean7166]

That what it say when warrior rolled out but others make it more better

[@Phlegmwahn]

Ajax has been a debacle from the start. I can’t imagine any British soldier would want to have anything to do with this heap of crap. Let’s not forget General Dynamics is an American Corporation.

[@stevecane1987]

Should of kept up with the warrior upgrade and saved a fuck ton of money

[@exsappermadman25055]

"Ajax, formally known as the tracked SA80 Mk 1".....

[@hansolowe19]

Put the name of the vehicle in the title please.

[@Zerpentsa6598]

Shocked that it's so bad. Like their aircraft carriers which spend more time in dry dock than in the sea.

[@jamiegray6931]

The Queen Elizabeth has been on continuous deployment since she entered service. 1 ship has a mechanical breakdown and suddenly the whole class is dogwater.

[@tysonator5433]

There ajax proem seems similar to tye special force chinook helicopter fiasco !

[@obi-ron]

UK government should be seeking recompense for this miserable lemon

[@leeneon854]

British required huge amount technology in the Ajax, so it's been complicated process

[@mikestarkey7989]

It's costing the UK more and more, and the in-service date is constantly being put back. General dynamics SHITE!!!

[@kirkgannaway5098]

Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMVs) 24unitsare have be with The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) 2008 so maybe they are looking to over Vehicles as a stop gap

[@user-ru2yl2pj9x]

👆👆👆 I've got something special for you

[@Michael.Talbot]

Surely you make a prototype, test it and improve it before you go into production?, the fact that they are continuing with production without receiving any more money from the MOD makes me think they know how to fix it externally. Either that or General Dynamics have completely lost their mind.

[@user-ru2yl2pj9x]

👆👆👆 I've got something special for you

[@benlongley9859]

I heard GD UK is going into liquidation

[@dennismorgan7297]

I thought it was scrapped

[@scottyj8112]

We should never have even entertained the idea of this project and gone and bought the CV90 family of vehicles instead.

[@scaleyback217]

This vehicle is fundamentally flawed. I'm not sure they even yet know exactly what the flaw is. If it comes into service at all it will be as a demonstration vehicle to be used on how not to design a complete lemon. Will it survive the scrutiny of those who are probably know climbing all over it to rectify the problem. Most seem to doubt it - I'll go along with that. The irony is the vehicle it was to replace was a superlative example of how to get it right first time. The British Army could do worse than use the Warrior as a blueprint and just see what needs replacing/modernizing in the design and then build it. Generations of infantrymen will merely exclaim, "Told you so".

[@Scaleyback317]

So the MOD claims all of the problems have now been solved - but they woudl say that wouldn't they!

[@stuartannetts300]

Shocked the people inside it to apparently 🥴

[@authoritariangentleman7570]

Some things are too good to be true...

[@mikestarkey7989]

WOW, it doesn't work, and the UK is still supposed to pay for it??

[@Leffe123]

Just buy the cv90...

[@vladimirpesut7470]

Just one "Lancet" inaugh.

[@drbendover7467]

Just admit it's a failure and go with the boxer armored vehicle and purchase some light tank later on:)

[@dc-4ever201]

I never understood why they wanted to replace an 8 ton flying machine of a scout tank with a 42 ton behemoth of an IFV. The regiments that use them don't carry infantry, they are fast cavalry, it's a bit nuts. Unless they want them to act as a battle taxi for spec ops and do and end run around behind the enemy dropping spec ops in their back but a 42 ton vehicle charging across the landscape is going to draw alot more attention than the previous scout SV. Surely a new scout SV could be around 25 tons with modern equipment and the same speed.

[@vincefont4765]

£3.2 billion doesn't get you much these days, at least if you deal with GDLS

[@derhamw3267]

besides being bloody useless they are too big for what is needed, should have updated the scimitar. also they are almost as heavy as a tank and cost almost the same.

[@dorothybrowne3518]

Yes 40mm at last ,outstanding ////ex (XLH ) ADF ....J

[@stefanrichter9162]

I recommend to watch "the Pentagon war" ......

[@zen4men]

You would have thought it would be required watching for those designing the AJAX program!

[@tomriley5790]

It's not really British, it's made by General Dynamics - it's also too big to do what the CVRT used to do, too expensive and apparently it's so noisy and has so much vibration that it can harm the crew - all in all it's just a bit crap. Should have been scrapped long ago and the money put into CV90 which could also have replaced warrior and was what the army wanted. Instead we've got boxer and this thing, it might be okay in its other roles if they can fix its problems but it's not going to be good at reconaisance - whoever thought it was a good idea to use the same vehicle as a bridge carrier and recovery as well as reconaisance needs to be sacked. The cannon isn't important as its whole job is not to be spotted.

[@davidbell8320]

From what I've heard it's a complete bag of spanners, and don't start on the cost of the bloody thing

[@Chris-BognorRegis]

I dont understand this, I thought they had finally decided to shelve Ajax and were now fully committed to purchasing Boxer to replace Warrior?

[@justlee596]

Warrior upgrade would have been the better option imo

[@dc-4ever201]

Boxer was always happening and is currently being delivered without any major issues, in fact they just designed a new variant with 4/8 Brimstone launchers for the British Army. Thing is Boxer has a tracked variant too which they could purchase instead of Ajax and have more common spares instead of 2 Different IFV's.

[@justlee596]

@@dc-4ever201 I totally get the reasons for it. Wartoir just had a special place in my heart.

[@justlee596]

@@dc-4ever201 the modular design of boxer is impressive to say the least mind.

[@trevorhart545]

Boxer has a DIFFERENT ROLE!

[@Mike7O7O]

Since, like a certain Norwegian Blue, this 'weapon system' is clearly dead. And not resting. We require alternatives. As a quick interim solution. The Cavalry could use horses. Already trialled and in use. Horses with chain mail could be used again instead of tanks and riders equipped with Javelins. (the missile, not the pointy stick. Do you think I'm being silly!!) The Artillery have also trialled horse systems and need only extend usage. RLC, Signals, REME etc will get the horse and cart option - slow but reliable. Mechanised infantry is tricky. Likely have to opt for speed over protection and utilise chariots. Unmechanised infantry will be issued shanks's pony. Since we seem to get tangled up in fracas in sand boxes, the military ought to develop Electric (Fighting) Vehicles over the long term. To replace horses. Probably best to give the development contracts to the Germans who seem to be able to produce things fit for purpose. Look at the VW Beetle and ignore the nasty early adopters in the 30's and 40's. Still in production almost a century later. Given the British Army likes to operate kit until it's literally falling apart and use for half a century or more. The Germans seem like the perfect fit. (This was a research collaboration between The Royal Hospital Chelsea and Shrivenham Military Research Centre of Excellence. All rights reserved.)

[@paulthompson881]

No surprise's here. UK MOD procurement has a history of commissioning projects that are overpriced, rarely on budget and crap when accepted into service despite the concerns of the soldiers who have to use the equipment. Challenger 1, SA80A1, Tarmagan radio, Clansman radio and the bonedome helmet. all shite and known to be so. Challenger I can confirm as I was at ATDU for prototype trials, it was poor. We could have had Leopard 2. Should have. We're obsessed as a country with buying home grown equipment based on politicians pandering to constituents. Bottom line is we can't make much anymore as those same politicians have annihilated our industrial base. Add 6 type 45 frigates and 2 carrier's to the crap list. One type 45 is nicknamed HMS Hopeless. £1 billion by the way.

[@gurglejug627]

It has a crew of two; commander, gunner and driver". What planet are you from? The USA?

[@grahamroden8897]

It’s going to get cancelled it’s the modern equivalent of the Valiant tank from WW2.

[@lynnecromack4933]

Ajax is not a replacement for the FV10X series.

[@paulmilne3038]

Anything that involves a government contract whether it be roads, boats buildings or in this case vehicles always overruns at incredibly high costs. If a private business worked like this it would quickly be out of business.

[@richardhall6034]

That's because lot's of pockets have to be lined with cash 💸 💰 never mind it's another useless bit of kit because they are not going to be fighting in it

[@standard_gauge]

The government is the customer. This POS was designed and built by private companies.

[@peter.a.langan5872]

Oh well if it’s got the US MIC making it, it will be very expensive, and be delivered with faults or so late it will be obsolete.

[@SodziausPilietis]

'ajacks' lmao

[@geertgijzen1666]

Immer wieder die Überschriften, schockt die Welt. Die Welt ist geschockt. Its al so schocking.

[@mikestarkey7989]

I general dynamics, won't be paying any money back! No APC no money!

[@joaoheinz3449]

Failing to invest in the Defense companies that designed UK armoured vehicles in the past has created a skills gap similar to the Astute program which took billions to fix. This armoured vehicle is although a GD Production a serious failure due to decades of no investment and now we want a tailored vehicle to British Spec, its laughable! Invest in people long term and maybe you get an adequate vehicle, don't invest and you get a shambles costing billions, for god's sake wake up!

[@gazza9463]

There are skills gaps across all sectors of Britain P.L.C. Million plus vacancies which very few want (or can't) to fill. Those that could fill the gaps won't because of the poor salaries and/or working conditions offered.

[@joaoheinz3449]

@@gazza9463 The Arms industry is by and large very well paid as are most government financed jobs. Yes there are skills gaps in many sectors which foreign labour can help the UK with. This hasn't just happened its roots go back to the 80's. I benefitted from a training facility owned by the state in Chorley where Engineers could learn any skill set from jointing cables in roads to mapping those cables to rewiring a house to manufacturing tools and components, That training facility was quite modern, it's now gone and a housing estate in its place. We've been telling kids to go to university, which is ok for some but others should have been given practical training in pipework or learning how to fix cars etc...Practical useful stuff. But instead we've ended up with over educated people that are completely useless and totally convinced that the planet is going to overheat tomorrow and that everything their ancestors did in industries that built this country caused this, its F-ckin joke!

[@gazza9463]

@@joaoheinz3449 I agree with you entirely

[@joaoheinz3449]

@@gazza9463 Apologies for ranting ;)

[@gazza9463]

@@joaoheinz3449 No worries. I empathize with your frustration with what has happened over the last 40 or so years.

[@fatdaddy1996]

42 tons is VERY heavy.

[@bm8641]

nooooooooooo. really? this is light reconnaisance vehicle. Designed by Truss

[@TheWtfnonamez]

This thing is a donkey. Its supposed to be a "scouting" vehicle but it doesn't float, its slower than a main battle tank, and its so obnoxiously loud that they had to retro fit sound dampening, and issue special ear protection because it was deafening the crews and giving them traumatic brain injuries. The design philosophy seems to have been "can you make us a really terrible, incredibly slow tank with no cannon, that makes so much noise you can hear it coming from five miles away, AND can you write the word scout on the side just for lols" Modern commercial tractors drive faster than the Ajax....and they have a better view