The ASCOD (Austrian-Spanish Cooperative Development) family of fighting vehicles is marketed by ASCOD AIE with headquarters based in Madrid, Spain. ASCOD is a jointly owned company set up by Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG of Vienna, Austria and General Dynamics, Santa Barbara Sistemas (GDSBS) of Madrid, Spain. In November 2003, General Dynamics took over Steyr-Daimler-Puch; both companies now form General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), along with MOWAG of Switzerland.
The ASCOD vehicle was chosen by the UK MoD as the common base platform on which the Ajax would be developed. This selection was the result of the UK’s Specialist Vehicle Programme. The Ajax family will be procured in a number of variants, initially planned to be in blocks, with the first vehicles planned to be delivered in 2017 and full operational capability being established by 2019.
As well as the infantry fighting vehicle, the ASCOD family includes: LT 105 light tank, anti-aircraft missile carrier, anti-aircraft gun system, anti-tank guided missile carrier, mortar carrier, repair and recovery vehicle, logistics carrier, command and communication carrier, artillery observation post and ambulance.
