Ajax Has 'Turned a Corner', Claims UK Defence Secretary

摘要

Following a visit on 22 February 2023 to Bovington Camp in Dorset, where he met Ukrainian troops training on Challenger 2 main battle tanks but was also shown an Ajax vehicle being out through its paces, Wallace said of the programme, "We think the remedies are in place, we are now going through the normal trials.... I am confident we have turned the corner on this troubled programme." Wallace added that the aim now was for Ajax vehicles to be active in military units soon after the test programme is completed in about 16 months. However, questions remain among military analysts as to what extent Ajax's noise and vibration issues have been mitigated as opposed to actually solved amid concerns that the programme is 'doomed to succeed' at any cost. Asked by ESD to outline what measures have been taken to solve the Ajax's noise and vibration issues, manufacturer General Dynamics UK (GDUK) declined to comment on 27 February. However, it has been widely reported in the UK media and military-focused blogs that the improvements include new ear defenders for the crew that incorporate hearing pieces for better communication, along with remounted seating with better cushioning and improved joysticks and controls. Assuming this reporting is accurate, the concern among observers is that the vehicle's underlying problems have not been directly addressed and will inevitably lead to more problems down the road. Excessive vibration, for example, is likely to reduce the mean time between failures of onboard systems, reducing serviceability and increasing maintenance costs.