Ajax vehicle pictured during a demonstration at Salisbury Plain Training Area 171016 CREDIT MOD.jpeg — The decade-long Ajax programme has previously been plagued with problems (Picture: MOD).

Army

Report on 'troubled' Ajax programme 'coming imminently', Defence Secretary says

A report on the British Army's Ajax armoured fighting vehicle programme is "coming imminently", according to the Defence Secretary.

Ben Wallace was responding to Conservative MP Mark Francois, who questioned in the Commons when the independent review of the "controversial" Ajax programme would be completed and revealed.

During questions to Ministry of Defence (MOD) ministers, Mr Francois asked if, "the secretary of state had yet received Mr Sheldon's (Clive Sheldon QC, leading the review) report, when does he intend to publish it and can he promise the House he will do so in full and unredacted."

In response, Mr Wallace said that he had been informed by Minister of Defence Procurement Alex Chalk that "it's coming imminently", adding that he "hopes that means a few weeks, not months".

He added: "I will read it and then, of course, I will make sure, certainly at least, the findings are shared with the House, but I'm very happy to have a discussion with the Defence Select Committee about how much we can share, with it subject to if there are any security concerns."

Watch: Minister says Army's Ajax vehicle programme has 'turned a corner'.

"I am determined to fix this troubled programme"

Mr Wallace, however, did offer some "good news" about the Ajax programme.

"The good news is that Ajax is now starting the next phase of its trials, as I have always said to this House, I am determined to fix this troubled programme.

"We are now on the way to getting through its next most important trials, having passed its user viability trials up until Christmas, so I am going to try and fix that programme, get it delivered and, at the same time, I am delighted to learn the lessons."

This follows defence procurement minister Alex Chalk's comments earlier in the month when he appeared before the Commons Defence Committee to say that the armoured fighting vehicle programme had now "turned a corner".

The decade-long programme has previously been plagued with problems, including soldiers being medically discharged from service because of noise exposure and hearing loss during Ajax trials.