General Dynamics is conducting its final testing stages on the new Ares protected mobility vehicle, ahead of the system's delivery to the British Army.

The Ares, which forms a part of the £4.5bn worth Ajax family of armoured vehicles, will undergo Government Acceptance Training (GAT) procedures.

The GAT process for the Ares platforms is now being conducted by the army at the company’s factory in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.

UK Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said: “I am delighted to see the Ares in action. This vehicle, and the others in the Ajax family, will give the British Army a multi-role, mounted fighting power and reconnaissance capability fit for the future.

“We continue to invest in the best equipment for our armed forces, and I’m delighted to support such strong investment in Wales.”

Expected to become operational in 2020, the six Ajax variants, including Athena, Ajax, Ares, Apollo, Atlas and Argus, will provide a full suite of medium armoured vehicles and capabilities.

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"This vehicle, and the others in the Ajax family, will give the British Army a multi-role, mounted fighting power and reconnaissance capability fit for the future."

The vehicles will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of combat environments.

In addition, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK (GDLS) has started manned live firing trials for Ajax.

The manned live firing phase of the Ajax programme will involve trials of the CT40 cannon, chain gun and smoke grenade launchers.

GDLS–UK has also conducted altitude-climatic, air deployability, littoral fording and driver training trials for the Ajax.


Image: UK Defence Procurement Minister Harriett Baldwin met with apprentices working on the Ajax programme at the factory in Merthyr Tydfil. Photo: courtesy of UK Government.