General Dynamics Land Systems–UK has unveiled another variant of the Ajax family of vehicles armed with Brimstone anti-tank guided missiles for British Army’s future heavy brigade and deep recce strike combat teams.
Developed together with France’s MBDA, the maker of the Brimstone missile, the ‘Overwatch’ variant of the Ajax would provide force protection for the more dispersed force and ensuring the integrity of long-range persistent surveillance.
GDLS UK and MBDA revealed the vehicle offer after the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) provided first details on the battlegroup organic anti-armor requirement, which is still in the pre concept phase.
The Ares variant of the Ajax that the two companies plan to fit with Brimstone missiles for the Overwatch capability is a troop-carrying reconnaissance vehicle that GDLS first delivered to the British Army last year under a deal from 2014.
“The Ajax family can fulfil a large number of roles for armed forces worldwide, including reconnaissance, persistent surveillance, command and control, and bridging. Our collaboration with MBDA further demonstrates the versatility of the Ajax fleet through the delivery of an ‘Overwatch’ capability quickly and effectively for the heavy and deep recce strike brigade combat teams,” Carew Wilks, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Land Systems–UK, said.
“Brimstone is a core part of the ‘portfolio’ approach to complex weapons between MBDA and the UK Ministry of Defence. This co-operation on Ajax Overwatch demonstrates how we can use sovereign UK complex weapons technologies to provide rapid and low cost solutions to enhance the operational capabilities of the UK Armed Forces,” Chris Allam, MBDA UK managing director, said.
