UK Army's New Ares Armored Vehicle Undergoing Tests

New Ares protected mobility vehicle, a part of the UK’s £4.5 billion Ajax family of armoured vehicles, undergoing testing in Merthyr ahead of handover to the British Army.

The six variants in the Ajax programme – Athena, Ajax, Ares, Apollo, Atlas and Argus - are due to come into service in 2020, providing a full suite of medium armoured vehicles and capabilities. The platforms will now continue going through a process known as Government Acceptance Training (GAT) before they are handed over to the Army, the UK ministry of Defense said in a statement Monday.

The ‘GAT’ process for the Ares platforms is now being undertaken by the Army, conducting acceptance for both the British Army and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) at the facility in Merthyr Tydfil.

The range of Ajax variants will form a key component in the Army’s modernised warfighting Division conducting full-spectrum and network-enabled operations. They will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of future operating environments.

“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,” Minister for Defence Procurement, Harriett Baldwin said.