UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) will reassess the GBP 5.3 billion (USD 6.7 billion) Ajax programme since it was found that the first batch of production standard armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) was not ready for delivery.

The MoD’s Permanent Secretary, Stephen Lovegrove, is preparing to issue a formal notification to the committee of the UK parliament about the reassessment. Such notifications are given only when major cost overruns, technical malfunctions or programme delays are involved.

The revelation of the reassessment was made in evidence to the committee by Air Marshal Richard Knighton, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Financial and Military Capability on 28 May.

Knighton confirmed that the Ajax vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems-UK (GDLS-UK) were not ready to be accepted by the British Army as planned last year.

“We wanted to preserve [delivery] dates in order to maintain the focus and the morale of soldiers that would use the Ajax vehicles, but it became clear that some of their elements were not going to be ready by the original date,” Knighton told the committee. “In due course, when we have a better understanding of their details, Sir Stephen [Lovegrove] will provide the committee with a revised assessment of the programme.”

Information from: Janes