At the MSPO 2025 defense exhibition in Kielce, General Dynamics Land Systems unveiled the Ajax tracked infantry fighting vehicle in Poland for the very first time. This marked the public debut of the British Army’s newest armored platform before an international audience. The showcase offered direct insight into the vehicle’s design and capabilities at a time when Poland is seeking to expand its fleet of modern tracked armored vehicles. The Ajax program only entered the delivery phase in January 2025, with frontline British Army units starting to receive vehicles earlier this year. The MSPO appearance introduced the platform to regional stakeholders while its full integration into the UK force structure is still ongoing.
Development of the Ajax began in the early 2010s, when General Dynamics UK was awarded the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) contract with its ASCOD 2 chassis. The UK placed an order for 589 vehicles in 2014 worth £3.5 billion, but technical problems delayed deliveries for several years. Excessive noise and vibration issues halted trials between 2020 and 2022 and caused injuries to test crews, requiring significant engineering fixes. Reliability testing resumed in 2023, with the first operational deliveries taking place in January 2025—over seven years later than planned. By April 2025, 100 vehicles had been handed over, with Initial Operating Capability expected by late 2025 and Full Operating Capability targeted between 2028 and 2029.
The Ajax family consists of six main variants built on a common chassis: the Ajax reconnaissance vehicle armed with a turreted 40 mm CTAS cannon, the Ares armored personnel carrier, the Athena command vehicle, the Atlas armored recovery vehicle, the Apollo repair vehicle, and the Argus engineering reconnaissance vehicle. These platforms will replace older tracked reconnaissance vehicles within Armoured Brigade Combat Teams and the Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team.
The reconnaissance variant features the 40 mm CTAS cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm chain gun, and has been trialed with a remote weapon station capable of mounting a GPMG and Javelin anti-tank missile. The vehicle weighs 38 tonnes in its baseline configuration, upgradeable to 42 tonnes with modular armor kits. Powered by an 800 hp MTU V8 diesel engine and a RENK HSWL 256B six-speed transmission, it reaches speeds of up to 70 km/h with an operational range of roughly 500 km.
Ajax’s digital architecture enables advanced ISTAR functions. Its 20 Gbit/s data backbone can process six terabytes of information and share it via the Bowman communication network. Sensors support automatic search, tracking, and target detection, while a silent auxiliary power unit allows surveillance systems to operate with the main engine off.
Roughly 80% of the manufacturing takes place in the UK, supporting more than 4,000 jobs. Final assembly occurs in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, with Lockheed Martin UK building the turret and fire control system, Thales UK supplying optics, and Rheinmetall producing turrets. This approach supports Britain’s long-term strategy for domestic armored vehicle production capability.
Since its inception, the program has explored future configurations including a direct-fire variant with a 120 mm gun, a mortar carrier, short-range air defense systems, logistics vehicles, and an ambulance. The MSPO 2025 display not only highlighted Ajax’s current capabilities but also pointed to its long-term potential to evolve with future battlefield requirements.
