In a significant milestone for the AJAX programme, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK has presented vehicles to Government Acceptance Testing (GAT) for assurance testing prior to delivery to the British Army (GAT).

Undertaken by an army headquarters unit, conducting acceptance for both the British Army and the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) at the company’s facility in Merthyr Tydfil, GAT assesses each of the platforms before they are formally delivered to the British Army.

Ahead of formally entering GAT, the army’s testing team undertook a range of training courses covering, amongst others, Driving and Maintenance, Vehicle Commanding and Operating the Self-Defence Weapon System. This training was delivered by General Dynamics Land Systems–UK.

Defence Equipment and Support Director Land Equipment, Major General Robert Talbot-Rice, said:

“The AJAX programme represents the UK’s biggest single order of armoured vehicles in a generation and is making good progress. We remain on track to deliver this battle-winning capability, which sits at the heart of the British Army’s new Strike Brigades, into service in 2020.”

Kevin Connell, Vice President of General Dynamics Land Systems–UK, said:

“After seven years developing this world-leading family of vehicles, it is testament to the exceptional hardworking team at General Dynamics Land Systems–UK, DE&S and our supply chain that we have delivered these platforms into GAT ahead of delivery to the British Army. We remain firmly on-track to meet the British Army’s Initial Operating Capability.”

The range of AJAX variants will allow British Army ‘Strike Brigades’ to conduct sustained, expeditionary, full-spectrum and network-enabled operations with a reduced logistics footprint. They will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments.