Why a 90-percent CV90 solution might have beaten Ajax

How can the British Army escape the equipment problems created by its traditional procurement approach?

It should sometimes accept a proven 90-percent solution such as CV90 instead of pursuing a bespoke theoretical 100-percent solution that arrives late or fails in practice.

The Ajax concept was more attractive than the vehicle delivered by the programme. The realised system accumulated serious problems while money still remained to be spent. CV90 would not meet every ambition perfectly, yet it offered known costs, earlier service, and a wider community of allied users. Predictable readiness from a mature design can be more valuable than an ideal specification that cannot be fielded reliably.