The British Army has ordered an immediate two-week pause on all training and exercises involving its troubled Ajax armoured fighting vehicles. This decisive action follows an incident over the weekend where approximately 30 soldiers reported feeling unwell, with symptoms attributed to excessive noise and vibration from the vehicles.
Training Exercise Halted on Salisbury Plain
The health scare occurred during a war games exercise on Salisbury Plain. According to reports, the effects on personnel were severe. Some soldiers emerged from the vehicles vomiting, while others were shaking so violently they lost control of their bodies. The Army acted swiftly, immediately stopping the exercise and proactively testing all personnel involved for symptoms.
An Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson confirmed that around 30 personnel presented with noise and vibration symptoms. While a "vast majority" have since been cleared to return to duty, a small number continue to receive expert medical care.
Investigation Launched Amid Programme Setbacks
Luke Pollard, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, has ordered the safety investigation and the two-week training pause, a move the MoD stated was made "out of an abundance of caution." During this period, a limited amount of vehicle testing will continue to help identify and resolve the underlying issues.
This latest incident is a significant blow to the £6.3 billion Ajax programme, which has been plagued for years by delays and injuries related to noise and vibration. The vehicle was originally slated to enter service in 2017 but only achieved initial operating capability (IOC) at the start of this month, meaning it can now deploy a single squadron on operations.
A Troubled History and Recent Assurances
The timing is particularly awkward for the government, as it comes just weeks after Minister Pollard publicly declared that the Ajax programme had "left its troubles behind." On November 5th, he praised the vehicle as "the most advanced medium-weight armoured fighting vehicle on the planet."
With more than 160 of the intended 589 vehicles already built, the programme's path to full operating capacity was already estimated to be another four years away. This new setback raises further questions about the vehicle's long-term viability and the safety of the personnel who operate it. The Ajax is intended to replace the ageing CVR(T) vehicles, which first entered service in 1971.
