Fury grows at Army chaos after UK signs £5bn deal for useless Ajax tanks

Rishi Sunak has been called to introduce “root and branch” change into how the UK approaches military procurement, following the disastrous purchase of hundreds of Ajax tanks.

Today in the Commons, following the publication of the Ajax Lessons Learned Review, by Clive Sheldon KC, former Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois MP described the UK’s procurement system as “massively bureaucratic and broken”.

He called on James Cartlidge, the Minister for Defence Procurement, to commit to reforming the system, warning that the UK “might actually have to fight” with its equipment in the near future.

The shambolic £5.5billion tank has been plagued with issues throughout its development.

During trials, hundreds of troopers were left injured from noise, causing some to be medically discharged from the Army as a result of hearing loss.

In 2019, the tank shook so violently and made so much noise that over 300 troops involved in the testing were advised to seek medical help.

The vehicle, which was meant to enter service in 2017, was commissioned 12 years ago.

The Ministry of Defence agreed a £5.5billion contract with General Dynamics UK for 589 Ajax armoured vehicles.

Responding to the Lessons Learned Review in the Commons, Mr Francois said: “The Ajax programme has been an absolute debacle.

“First initiated in 2010, thirteen years and some four billion pounds later, we still do not have a new armoured vehicle in front line service, we won’t have it until late 2025 and it won’t be fully in service until 2030.

“This report starkly reveals, in exquisite and agonising detail, just how massively bureaucratic and broken the MoD’s procurement system really is – so, with a war underway in Ukraine, will the Minister assure the House, that he is now, genuinely, personally, committed to ‘root and branch’ reform of how we buy our military equipment in this country, as the taxpayer and our Armed Forces deserve no less.”

In a statement, Mr Francois later added: “As Chair of the Defence Sub-Committee inquiry into procurement, we will certainly be taking an in-depth look at the Ajax programme, amongst other troubled examples.

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“With a war underway in Ukraine, it is imperative that our procurement system finally starts to deliver kit on time and on

budget- not least as we might actually have to fight with it.”

The Ajax tank is meant to give soldiers unparalleled protection and deliver a lethal punch from its 40mm cannon, but not a single vehicle has yet entered service.

In recent months some military figures have called for the project to be scrapped.

Former military intelligence officer Col Phil Ingram described Ajax as a “fiasco”, calling for it to be replaced with a proven design such as the Combat Vehicle 90.

He told the Mirror: “The programme has been a fiasco and it should now be scrapped.

“Many of the programme decision-makers have remained deaf to bad news that would have exposed the fiasco the programme has become.

“The fault lies squarely with defence equipment and support mismanagement, Army meddling and MoD avoidance of independent scrutiny.”

Meanwhile, Lord West, the former head of the Navy last month said: “The Ajax programme, no matter how much one dresses it up, has been a complete and utter disaster.”

He added: “It has been a real shambles.”

And Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, branded the project a “complete mess”.

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