A 226-tonne steel superstructure is being constructed at Warminster Garrison.

The structure will support the British Army's Armoured Cavalry Programme, commonly known as Ajax.

The Ajax Programme will provide the army with a fleet of tracked, all-terrain, digitally enabled vehicles equipped with a variety of weapons and sensors.

The £17 million infrastructure project will provide a synthetic training facility to support the Ajax Regiments based within Salisbury Plain.

Construction began in October 2023, and the internal fit-out of the building is currently underway in preparation for the installation of the Ajax simulation capability next year.

The building is expected to be completed in autumn 2025 and will support a range of state-of-the-art driver, gunnery, and crew trainers.

The building is expected to be completed in autumn 2025The building is expected to be completed in autumn 2025 (Image: Crown Copyright 2024) This will allow for 'real-world' training for military personnel operating the Ajax vehicles, with the Royal Dragoon Guards serving as custodians of the facility.

Brigadier Pete Quaite, head of infra plans, said: "The Warminster Garrison Ajax facility is progressing at an impressive pace and will deliver a critical capability to the army.

"This project demonstrates the significant investment underway across our estate to modernise our training infrastructure and deliver benefits for our people."

Colonel Jamie Hayward, armoured cavalry programme director, added: "This new infrastructure is a vital component of the Ajax Programme.

"It allows the appropriate technical solution to train our service personnel and enables a reduction in running costs, platform wear, and dependence on live training areas."

The project is being delivered by Aspire Defence on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Warren Webster, Defence Infrastructure Organisation major programmes and projects director army, said: "It is excellent to see the progress that has already been made on this impressive facility.

"Continued collaboration between our project team and Aspire Defence will ensure that construction remains on track, to meet the infrastructure requirements of the army’s Armoured Cavalry Programme."

In addition to the Warminster Garrison project, Ajax infrastructure has already been delivered at Tidworth Garrison and Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain Training Area, and at Bovington in Dorset, where the Ajax simulation capability is now being installed.

Allan Thomson, chief executive of Aspire Defence, said: "We are proud to be delivering this project for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to support the British Army, which showcases Aspire Defence’s ability to successfully deliver quality infrastructure on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and the Army.

"This first-rate facility supports the contemporary vision of training that’s in keeping with the modern Army and its readiness for today’s challenges."