The British Army has temporarily suspended all training with its troubled Ajax armoured fighting vehicles after approximately thirty soldiers reported symptoms related to excessive noise and vibration following a recent exercise.
Immediate Halt and Medical Response
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday 25th November 2025 that the two-week pause was ordered after a training exercise was immediately stopped. The decision came from the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, who acted out of an abundance of caution.
The MoD stated that around 30 personnel presented noise and vibration symptoms after subsequent medical tests. While the vast majority have been medically cleared and have returned to duty, a small number continue to receive expert medical care.
Troubled History of the Ajax Programme
This is not the first time the Ajax vehicle programme has faced serious safety concerns. Soldiers were hospitalised this summer with similar hearing and vibration injuries. An internal review from 2021 revealed that senior officials had known about these risks for years, with issues first flagged as early as December 2018.
Trials were not suspended until November 2020, at which point over 300 soldiers were offered hearing tests. As of December 2021, 17 personnel remained under specialist care.
Investigation and Future of the Ajax
During the two-week operational pause, a full safety investigation will be conducted into the events of the past weekend. A limited amount of testing will continue to help identify and resolve the underlying issues.
The Ministry of Defence has ordered 589 Ajax vehicles across several variants, with delivery expected to continue until 2030. Each vehicle costs nearly £10 million and weighs over 40 tonnes. Despite the ongoing problems, the MoD has previously indicated that the Ajax, a next-generation fighting machine equipped with a powerful 40mm gun, could potentially be deployed to Ukraine to support a future peace deal.
The MoD reaffirmed that the safety of our personnel is our top priority and that this decision underlines their commitment to refining the vehicle for safety and performance.
