Government payments for a huge manufacturing project in Merthyr Tydfil is set to finally resume after years of delays. The scheme to deliver nearly 600 new armoured vehicles for the British Army has been hit with a series of issues since launching 12 years ago, with soldiers being injured due to problems with the noise and vibration of the vehicles.
Payments towards Merthyr's General Dynamics, where 589 Ajax armoured vehicles are being assembled as part of the £5.5 billion project, were paused in December 2020. However, the troubled programme is now "turning a corner", with the Ministry of Defence confirming that payments will resume.
The vehicles, which were due to enter service in 2017, are set to transform the Army's armoured fleet and bolster its land-based reconnaissance capability. The Ajax features a suite of cutting-edge sensors, enhanced 40mm cannon, modular armour, and improved cross-country mobility, with the Army able to operate in all weathers, 24 hours a day.
