Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Acknowledged
Even when Ajax is finally introduced, it will not operate to its full potential without...
Conclusion
Even when Ajax is finally introduced, it will not operate to its full potential without the Morpheus communications system. This will integrate Ajax across the land, air and sea domains, allowing real-time information-sharing and connectivity with other capabilities, such as Lightning II jets, on the battlefield.32 However, Morpheus has also been delayed, having originally been due by the end of 2021.33 As a consequence, Ajax will be fitted initially with Morpheus’s predecessor, Bowman, which does not have the same 21 Integrated Review Refresh 2023, P34 22 House of Commons Defence Committee, 2 November 2022, US, UK and NATO, Q275 23 C&AG’s Report, para 1.16 24 Q111; Letter from Permanent Secretary to Chair, 23 January 2023, p.3 25 Q 31 26 Qq 36–38 27 Q 104 28 Q 35 29 Committee of Public Accounts, Armoured Vehicles: the Ajax programme, Seventh Report of Session 2022–23, HC 259, June 2022 30 Q 96 31 Q 99 32 Q 105 33 Q 41 MoD Equipment Plan 2022–2032 11 integration capabilities. The Department was unable to tell us when Morpheus would enter service, but the military planning assumption is that this will be towards the end of the decade.34
Government Response Summary
The government recognizes the need to balance risk with speed and will write to the Committee with more detail on the department’s approach, including the scope to increase the pace of delivery to the front line, and provide an update on the implications for the Army’s forward equipment programme.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2023 3.2 The department recognises the need to balance risk with the speed of capability delivery. The experience of procuring equipment for Ukraine has shown what can be achieved with increased risk appetite and when pace is prioritised. There may be scope to take more risk to get capability into the hands of the user more quickly; however, this will not be appropriate in every case and needs to be carefully considered and the additional risk carefully managed. The department will write to the Committee with more detail on the department’s approach, including the scope to increase the pace of delivery to the front line. 3.3 The department will provide the committee with an update on the implications for Army’s forward equipment programme.