The worlds most death metal instrument ever created might in the future be transformed into an Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The operative word here being might.
edit I realized people might not get the dark joke
Efforts were made to find a fix with better ear protection and more cushions on seats, and trials restarted.
But the fact that soldiers are still experiencing issues with hearing as well as sickness and shakes from riding inside the vehicles suggests the underlying cause has not been resolved.
Defenders of the programme say that all armoured vehicles are noisy and vibrate.
The decision follows a series of safety incidents tied to Ajax. In November, 35 soldiers were treated after falling ill during an exercise on Salisbury Plain, weeks after the vehicle was declared safe to use. Pollard said 25 have returned to duty, two were found to have injuries unrelated to Ajax, and eight remain medically downgraded and under monitoring.
Although Ajax’s operating clearance has been paused, Pollard confirmed that trials on the vehicle are restarting to help “ensure we are best placed to decide Ajax’s future.”
In late December 2025, the defence ministry halted all Ajax trials after another soldier reported vibration-related symptoms during testing at the Bovington training area on December 12. The incident followed reports from about 30 personnel affected during the Army’s Titan Storm exercise in November. Investigations found affected personnel had been operating across 23 vehicles, all of which have since undergone 45-point inspections, alongside additional checks focused on identifying the source of the vibration.