Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to equip infantry battalions with the Ares armoured personnel carrier.
The Army is currently undergoing a combined programme of work to ensure our Land Forces will have the lethality, protection and mobility to fight and win against any adversary. Whilst the Army’s modernisation will continue over the next decade with a programme of investment worth billions of pounds, future capability development priorities will be guided by the Strategic Defence Review.
The ARES platform is a variant of the Armoured Cavalry Programme (Ajax) and remains on track to deliver Initial Operating Capability by December 2025.
With regards to the current steps being taken to equip infantry battalions, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 21 November 2024 to Question 14825, which explains that planned future operational establishment will see Infantry Battalions equipped and structured around the Boxer platform.