Official in charge of troubled £6bn tank replaced

THE SENIOR civil servant responsible for the Army's troubled Ajax fighting vehicle is no longer overseeing the much-delayed project, after safety concerns were kept from ministers.

- BY CONOR WILSON

Training on the Ajax fleet, which is costing £6.3billion, was halted in November after 30 soldiers fell ill due to excessive noise and vibration.

Tests to find out the cause were stopped when another fell ill using one of the £10million light tanks - the Army has ordered 589, which are made in Merthyr Tydfil by General Dynamics.

Defence minister Luke Pollard said: “Ministers should have been briefed more comprehensively in relation to operational impact and the nuanced risks of operating safely.