Ex-Tank Commander Sues Ministry of Defence Over Hearing Loss Allegedly Caused by Ajax Vehicle Alarms

A former tank commander is appealing a court's dismissal of his claim for £500,000 against the Ministry of Defence (MoD), alleging that his hearing was destroyed while testing the Army's troubled Ajax armoured vehicle fleet.

Jonathan Bevan, 46, was medically discharged in June 2023 after experiencing chronic tinnitus and mental health issues. He claims these conditions stemmed from 'acoustic shock' syndrome, caused by repeated, 'piercing' emergency alarms that sounded in his headset every six to seven seconds during testing. His lawyers are challenging the initial ruling by Judge Nigel Bird, who found no specific triggering event and insufficient evidence for acoustic shock syndrome.

The MoD has previously acknowledged negligence regarding high noise levels within the Ajax tanks but denies that this noise caused acoustic shock or that Mr. Bevan's condition resulted from his headset.

Bevan, a former Household Cavalry sergeant who served in Afghanistan, was tasked with testing the Ajax fleet between June 2017 and 2021. He viewed this as important work that could lead to greater responsibility within the Army. By March 2021, he began experiencing ringing in one ear, and the following year, he was diagnosed with PTSD, initially attributed to his combat tour.

During testing, Bevan reported symptoms including a 'noisy high-pitched ringing' in his Bowman headset, a high-frequency sound from a fan, and a high-pitched screech from the 'nuclear biological chemical alarm.' He described the alarm as being so loud and piercing that it would go off every few seconds, leading to disorientation and distress during hours-long testing sessions.

The Ajax fleet has faced significant delays and safety concerns. Trials of the 40-tonne light tank were previously halted due to issues including hearing loss and vibrational injuries reported by personnel. These concerns led ministers to pause payments to the vehicle's manufacturer between December 2020 and March 2023. The rollout of the £6.3 billion fleet, comprising 589 vehicles across six variants, was initially expected by 2017 but began active service late last year.

Parliamentary committees have questioned the fleet's readiness, with a Public Accounts Committee report stating that armored vehicles causing injury to soldiers would be of limited use on the battlefield. Recent reports suggest the Ajax fleet may be deployed with drones to modernize its battlefield effectiveness.

Bevan's barrister argued that the initial ruling contradicted established medical guidelines on acoustic shock. The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision on the case.