IAV 2026: Ajax Nemo mortar carrier unveiled

GDLS-UK unveiled Ajax Nemo at IAV 2026. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)

General Dynamics Land Systems-United Kingdom (GDLS-UK) unveiled the Ajax armoured vehicle with a Patria Nemo 120 mm mortar turret at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2026 conference held in Farnborough from 20 to 22 January.

The vehicle is equipped with a turreted remote-controlled 120 mm smoothbore mortar with a hydro-pneumatic recoil system with indirect and direct multiround simultaneous impact (MRSI) capabilities. The system takes less than 25 seconds to begin firing its first three rounds in 15 seconds, with a maximum rate of fire of 10 rds/min and sustained rate of fire of 6 rds/min. It has a maximum range of over 10 km, depending on the ammunition fired, with MRSI of up to five rounds at a range of 1–6.5 km. It has an elevation of –3° to 85° and full 360° traverse.

It can fire on the move, giving it the capability to scoot immediately, accelerating from zero to 48 km/h in less than 17 seconds, with a 600 W engine producing a maximum speed of 70 km/h and range of over 500 km. It can climb a 60% slope at a speed of 5 km/h and cross a 2.5 m trench. It can be transported by air or sea.

The Nemo loading system is automatic with manual backup. In addition to a 3,000 mm long mortar that can fire smoothbore rounds, it can fire guided munitions and is equipped with an integrated remote weapon system and smoke grenade launchers.

It features configurable modular armour systems, an integrated survivability system, a mobile camouflage system, a fire detection system, and an electronic countermeasures system, as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detectors.

Ajax Nemo has a three-person crew.