13 Dec 22. Trouble-hit Ajax light tank ‘a complete and utter disaster’, ex-top brass says. A project to provide next-generation armoured vehicles to the military has been “a complete and utter disaster”, a former top brass said.
Delivery of the Ajax light tank has been a “rocky road”, a defence minister also acknowledged at Westminster.
The Government was tackled over the progress of the problematic £5.5bn programme in the House of Lords.
The Ajax project, intended to provide a state-of-the-art fighting vehicle for the Army, has been running for 12 years and cost £3.2bn but has failed to deliver a single deployable vehicle.
Originally intended to enter service in 2017, it has been repeatedly delayed, with problems including noise and vibration issues which injured soldiers testing the vehicles.
The Ministry of Defence agreed a fixed-price contract with General Dynamics for 589 Ajax armoured vehicles, but just 26 have been delivered and can only be used for training.
Speaking in Parliament, former head of the Royal Navy Lord West of Spithead said: “Ajax programme, no matter how much one dresses it up, has been a complete and utter disaster. It has been a real shambles.”
Earlier, highlighting the litany of difficulties which have dogged the programme, Labour frontbencher Lord Coaker said: “Can the minister tell the House when all these vehicles will be delivered to the front line and at what cost?
“Do the Government still have full confidence in the programme or are they examining alternatives?”
Responding, defence minister Baroness Goldie said: “This has been a rocky road.
“To be honest, I think that where we have got to now represents a seismic leap forward – that is the successful conclusion of user-validation trials.”
She added: “We are very clear that, while this is an important addition and an important vehicle for the Army, we will not accept anything that is not fit for purpose.
“We remain in close contact with General Dynamics and I think we can now see a way forward.”
Former chief of defence staff and independent crossbencher Lord Craig of Radley pressed the minister over the welfare of the up to 300 personnel who may have been hurt during vehicle testing.
Lady Goldie: “When the problem emerged during trials, immediate action was taken, support was given, medical help was provided and monitoring continues.”
She added: “Recently, it was made clear during the user-validation trials that no one was to feel under obligation to continue if they had concerns about health and safety and they were free to speak up. As far as I am aware, the trials were able to proceed without interruption.” (Source: forces.net)
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Type 26 Frigates: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 106333, tabled on 8 December 2022
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department has estimated that the Type 26 Frigates programme has a total cost variation to completion of £259 million.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 14 December 2022
The Type 26 Frigate programme forecast cost increases were caused by a combination of contractor performance and supply chain issues, COVID-19 delays, and changes to risk and inflation estimates.
NATO: Ammunition
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 106329, tabled on 8 December 2022
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his Estonian counterpart on (a) the potential UK use of Estonia’s ammunition warehouse as part of the NATO Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative and (b) its potential to support the enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup in that country.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 14 December 2022
No recent discussions about the NATO Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative have taken place between the Secretary of State and his Estonian counterpart given that discussions are ongoing at officials’ level.
NATO: Ammunition
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 106328, tabled on 8 December 2022
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with NATO officials on potential involvement in the NATO Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative.
Answer
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
Commons
Answered on 14 December 2022
We are actively considering our position regarding UK participation in the NATO Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative (MAWI) and have registered interest in joining conversations with other interested Allies. We understand the potential merits of joining an initiative such as MAWI to Defence and Departmental officials continue to liaise with international counterparts on this and many other matters.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 106332, tabled on 8 December 2022
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department has estimated that the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme has a total cost variation to completion of £543 million.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 13 December 2022
The total cost variation to completion of £543 million in the Mechanised Infantry programme reflects the Defence Command Plan intent to significantly increase the programme scope by enhancing and uplifting the fleet sizes by an initial 100 vehicles.
Defence Equipment: Procurement
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 106330, tabled on 8 December 2022
John Healey
Labour
Wentworth and Dearne
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December to Question 98702 on Defence Equipment: Procurement, what projection of potential foreign exchange risk volatility his Department has made of each of the programmes listed.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 13 December 2022
The Department does not routinely calculate the effect of foreign exchange on individual programmes and considers the overall requirement to calculate and address changes in forecast costs.
Ukraine: Defence Equipment
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 902730, tabled on 12 December 2022
Sir John Whittingdale
Conservative
Maldon
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what defensive weaponry his Department is supplying to Ukraine.
Answer
Mr Ben Wallace
Conservative
Wyre and Preston North
Commons
Answered on 12 December 2022
We have provided a range of weapons to Ukraine, including air defence systems with thousands of missiles to protect critical infrastructure, almost 100,000 artillery rounds, more than 10,000 anti-tank missiles, Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems and around three million rounds of small-arms ammunition. This financial year we expect to spend £2.3 billion on operations and support for Ukraine and we are prepared to deliver similar support next year.
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 902725, tabled on 12 December 2022
Geraint Davies
Labour
Swansea West
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is taking steps to update defence plans following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Answer
Mr Ben Wallace
Conservative
Wyre and Preston North
Commons
Answered on 12 December 2022
I have always been clear that Defence should be threat led. The Ministry of Defence is always adapting its plans in response to emerging threats and responding to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has been no different. We are sharing these learnings through updates to the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper in the new year.
Defence: Technology
Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 902729, tabled on 12 December 2022
Greg Smith
Conservative
Buckingham
Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help develop innovative defence technology.
Answer
Alex Chalk
Conservative
Cheltenham
Commons
Answered on 12 December 2022
The Ministry of Defence works closely with UK industry and academia, including Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, to identify and invest in innovative technologies that address our most pressing capability challenges as well as publishing our future priorities to incentivise investment. We are transforming processes to drive this at pace. We are already testing and deploying these technologies.