UK Ministry of Defence Selects Four Firms to Develop Drone Wingmen for Apache Helicopters

The UK Ministry of Defence announced today that it has selected four competitors for Project NYX, a concept demonstrator effort to develop drone wingman aircraft capable of teaming with British Army Apache attack helicopters. 4 million). The Ministry of Defence said all drone designs are to be evaluated and narrowed down to at most two competitors over the next few months for a prototype design phase before a final partner is chosen later this year.

If the prototype designs prove successful, the aim is to field an operational variant for use by 2030. The latest down-select comes after a field of seven competitors were picked in January to put forward their designs for the drone wingman program. The surviving designs in Project NYX include a variety of uncrewed air systems, each offering innovative autonomy, payloads and sensors.

The loyal wingmen or adjunct aircraft are expected to fly alongside Apaches in reconnaissance, precision strike, target acquisition and electronic warfare missions. Project NYX is part of a pivot toward a “new way of war” documented in the strategic defense review last year.

The strategic defense review last year calls for an increased use of uncrewed and autonomous capabilities to deliver additional combat mass.

BAE Systems Air division is partnering with local supplier Certo Aerospace to meet the British Army’s requirement for an uncrewed partner for its Apache attack helicopter. Certo Aerospace’s coaxial CAPSTONE drone is being pitched for Project NYX. Richard Drake, managing director of Anduril UK, said that over the last few years the company has invested tens of millions of pounds of its own money to develop a new capability that it will deliver for NYX.

““That early investment is paying off: we have already completed test flights of our full-scale surrogate vehicle, consistently expanding the flight envelope each time.””

“— Richard Drake, managing director of Anduril UK Tekever will rapidly develop, test, and demonstrate a UK-sovereign advanced rotary platform paired with AI-enabled mission autonomy and sensing as part of the new assessment phase. Thales noted in a February statement that it is well positioned to support Project NYX by drawing on decades of experience in trusted autonomous systems, collaborative mission management, and the delivery of complex defence solutions. The four competitors were chosen from the initial group of seven selected in January. Breaking Defense reported that the Ministry of Defence views Project NYX as delivery of the strategic defense review’s direction in action, capitalising on the power of drones, AI and autonomy to complement the ‘heavy metal’ of tanks and artillery.”