General Dynamics unveils tank developed in Caerphilly

The new prototype is the first to feature the Lockheed Martin UK-developed turret

A new light tank developed in south Wales has been unveiled by manufacturer General Dynamics UK.

The AJAX prototype platform was designed at the firm's centre in Oakdale, Caerphilly, and will be the "eyes and ears" of the British Army on future battlefields.

Squadrons will be equipped with the armoured fighting vehicle by mid-2019.

The Ministry of Defence said it would be the armed forces' first "fully digitised armoured fighting vehicle".

The unveiling, at the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition 2015 in London on Tuesday, comes after General Dynamics renamed its SCOUT Specialist Vehicle programme to AJAX.

An animation of the prototype

Kevin Connell, vice president of General Dynamics Land Systems UK, said: "We are delighted to unveil the AJAX prototype, which is another significant step in the on-schedule delivery of a family of best-in-class platforms to the British Army."

The firm said the AJAX is one of six variants to be delivered to the British Army between 2017 and 2024.

In July, the company announced plans to open a plant in Merthyr Tydfil, creating 250 skilled jobs, after winning a £390m defence contract.