New military equipment that will advance the British Army’s capabilities in “leaps” has been showcased at an event in the Scottish capital.
The British Army Expo 2025 is currently being held at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh. It started on Monday and will continue until Saturday.
Generally held in London, this year’s expo saw a change of city as chiefs felt other areas of the UK should be given the opportunity to see what it has to offer.
This year, visitors at the event were shown a number of new vehicles that will be used by the Army in future combat.
Soldiers and civilians alike were shown a range of new armoured vehicles, some of which were driven around a sectioned-off area of the barracks as part of an immersive show that simulated real scenarios.
Among the highlights was the Ajax, designed to be at the heart of the British Army’s future armoured fleet; the Apache 64E, often deemed the world’s most formidable attack helicopter; Challenger, the Army’s main battle tank which has never experienced a loss at the hands of the enemy, and Jackal 2, a unique platform using an air-bag suspension system, allowing for rapid movement across varying terrain.
Also on show was Boxer, a combat vehicle set to become the new British Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV).
Sgt Adam Cundy of the Royal Regiment says the new additions will increase the army’s lethal capabilities.
He said: “It’s leaps compared to before. There’s very much the urge on growing aggression and the new vehicles coming in are a great sign to enable us all to communicate with each other.
“For example, the integration of technology and AI and the different sighting systems that we’ve got in the vehicles. They all talk to each other, and it’ll be very much more employable across the battlefield and how we become lethal as an army.”
With the growing threat of drone-based warfare, the sergeant was asked by media if the vehicles will have measures in place to mitigate any attacks, as drones are often small and hard to detect.
He said: “I know the Challenger is getting a Radar Processing System (RPS), which can effectively mitigate drones, as well as the Active Protection System (APS), which can also mitigate them as well.
“In terms of the Ajax vehicle for example, it has various sensors and can scan out the battlefield and give us that pre-empting reassurance that something’s been launched from very far away.”
Lt Col James Chandler said that despite their advancements, the army’s personnel remains its most valuable asset.
He said: “The Army is nothing without soldiers. For the Army, the soldiers are the most important element we have, and what we’re really excited about with the Expo is that we get a chance here this time to use Scottish soldiers to communicate the army story to Scottish audiences, and that’s a really exciting message.”
A short film was also played to the audience, and afterwards a number of soldiers spoke of their own journeys that led them to signing up.
L/Cpl McNamara joined the reserves at the age of 26. He is currently mobilised, meaning he is with the Army full-time for the time being, and his role is in the force’s social media team.
He said: “Engagement through events like this is really important. Getting the public in, seeing what we have to offer and also showing them our people as well.”
Cpl Megan Reid spoke to the attendees about her journey in becoming a professional boxer through starting the sport back in 2014, shortly after she joined.
She would later go on to represent Scotland a the Commonwealth Games 2022, and credits the army for the opportunities it gave her.
Having now retired from competing in the sport, she said: “The army got me into that sport, and I ended up having a 10 year-long career in boxing for both the army and for Scotland.
“So yeah – I have had a great career through this in the sporting world.”
