British Army's future AJAX and ARES armored fighting vehicles make public debut at Tankfest 2024.

The Tankfest 2024 event, held at The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, featured a wide array of historic and modern armored vehicles, including the public debut of the new AJAX and ARES armored fighting vehicles. This event, organized in collaboration between the British Bovington Tank Museum and the British Army, provided the first public appearance of these vehicles based on the ASCOD platform and intended to replace the aging Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) family of vehicles, in service since the early 1970s.
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The AJAX program, developed by General Dynamics UK, consists of six variants: the AJAX infantry fighting vehicle, the ARES armored personnel carrier, the ATHENA command and control vehicle, the APOLLO support vehicle, the ATLAS recovery vehicle, and the ARGUS engineering vehicle. (Picture source: Bovington Tank Museum)

Tankfest is an annual event that attracts over 20,000 visitors, serving as a major fundraiser for The Tank Museum. The festival includes live demonstrations, expert lectures, and living history encampments. Highlights from past events have included rare vehicles such as the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Gō and the British Matilda II, along with reenactments and flypasts by the RAF Red Arrows. Over the years, Tankfest has incorporated new elements like "Tank TV" for enhanced viewing and dedicated photography areas.

This year's event, held from June 28 to 30, showcased the world debut of the FV4005, restored with its 183mm gun, and the only running Matilda I. The event included live arena displays, lectures from tank experts, and living history encampments. Special guest vehicles such as the Panzer III, Sherman M4A2, and T-72 also drew attention. Additionally, World of Tanks sponsored various activities, including Twitch streams with exclusive drops and a player party at the O2 Academy Bournemouth.

The Bovington Tank Museum, located in Dorset, houses a collection of nearly 300 tanks and armored vehicles from 26 countries. The museum features exhibits from World War I to modern conflicts, including the only running Tiger I tank, interactive exhibits, and live tank displays. Events like Tankfest and Tiger Day allow visitors to witness historic tanks in action. The museum offers annual passes for repeat visits and activities for all ages.

The AJAX program, initiated by the British Army, aims to modernize its fleet with a new family of armored fighting vehicles. Originating from the Ministry of Defence's Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) program, the project was awarded to General Dynamics UK in 2014 with a £5.5 billion contract to produce 589 vehicles across six variants. The AJAX family includes reconnaissance, command, and support vehicles, intended to be the Army's first fully digitized platform. Despite facing setbacks, such as issues with noise and vibration leading to injuries among test crews and delays in delivery, efforts continue to resolve these challenges. Originally slated for deployment by 2020, the project experienced delays, pushing the initial operating capability to 2025 and full operational capability to 2029.

Like the CVR(T) family, the AJAX program comprises several variants built on a common base platform, ensuring commonality in mobility, electronic architecture, maintenance, and survivability. The core AJAX variant serves as a reconnaissance and strike vehicle, featuring a CT40 40mm cannon and advanced ISTAR capabilities. The ARES variant is a troop-carrying reconnaissance vehicle designed to transport specialist troops, providing overwatch and support for dismounted operations. The ATHENA variant functions as a command and control vehicle, equipped with communication and information processing systems for battlefield management. APOLLO is an equipment support variant for battlefield repairs, while ATLAS is dedicated to recovering damaged or disabled vehicles. The ARGUS variant focuses on engineering reconnaissance, assessing battlefield environments to aid in planning and executing engineering tasks.