At DVD 2026, General Dynamics Land Systems-United Kingdom (GDLS-UK) and ARX Robotics have launched a new collaboration to jointly explore the development of future crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities for the British Army, with a focus on AJAX’s potential as centre of a formation including robotic “wingmen” on the battlefield.

This follows the UK’s Defence Investment Plan launch of a £150 million funding line for Uncrewed Ground Vehicles for the Army over the next 4 years, with the Chief of the General Staff speaking of a future where every armoured vehicle will go in the field with at least an UGV companion.

Initial work will focus on integrating AJAX as the platform commanding and controlling ARX’s large HECTOR wheeled 4x4 UGV as well as “other autonomous systems across reconnaissance, protection and combat missions”. Notably, ARX already supplied a number of its smaller, tracked GEREON UGV to the British Army.

HECTOR is a medium size UGV powered by electric motors, capable of speeds of up to 70 km/h. It offers a payload capacity of up to 500kg and a towing capacity of 1500kg.

At DVD specifically, General Dynamics showcased BLACKJAX, the advanced AJAX demonstrator being used for test and development. This vehicle is already fitted with capabilities the baseline AJAXs don’t yet have, notably the Composite Rubber Tracks and a full fit of the Modular Integrated Protection System (MIPS) in development to give Active Protection to British Army vehicles.

The MIPS on BLACKJAX includes the IAI M3S2 radar and optical threat detector, integrated by laser warners and by the AJAX’s native acoustic shot detection fit. The Active Protection is ensured by Elbit IRON FIST interceptors.

ARX flanked the BLACKJAX with a GEREON fitted with a PodView optical sensors which is already used also in C-UAS applications; and an HECTOR showcased equipped with a Saab GIRAFFE 1X radar and a Cilas HELMA P laser weapon for C-UAS defeat.

This provides an interesting visualization of what might be possible in the future. It has already been demonstrated to the British Army in November 2024 that its SKYKEEPER software (by Lockheed Martin UK), already in Royal Artillery service to provide the Recognized Air Picture over the battlefield, can easily be brought aboard AJAX. In the occasion, it was exploited specifically to bring aboard the air picture provided by a GIRAFFE 1X, as well as video feed from drones.

The laser weapon also responds to an ambition evidenced by the MOD with the recent launch of Project PANOPTES for a portable laser weapon system that is required to integrate, among other systems and messaging standards, with MIPS. Installed on an accompanying UGV, the laser, pointed to a target by MIPS, would become a forward line of defence against drones for the crewed vehicle.  

The integration of HECTOR with AJAX will be eased by the Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) standard AJAX has been built to. Crews will be able to task, monitor and employ autonomous systems in support of a variety of battlefield tasks.

Importantly, GDLS UK and ARX will also explore opportunities for cooperation in terms of final assembly and integration, manufacturing and engineering, supply chain development, workforce and skills growth and through-life support and sustainment. While ARX only recently opened its UK sites and started producing GEREON in the country earlier in 2026, General Dynamics can offer an established production line and supply chain with a workforce across the various sub-suppliers that numbers in the thousands.

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