Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) powered the first flight of the U.S. Navy MQ-25A Stingray
on April 25, marking a pivotal program milestone that moves the unmanned platform closer to a Milestone C decision and aircraft carrier integration testing.
A single AE 3007N engine, part of the proven and reliable Rolls-Royce AE engine family, powers the Stingray, whose refueling capabilities will significantly extend the strike distance of the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) while allowing Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) to operate at a greater distance from threats.
The Rolls-Royce powered MQ-25A will keep service members safer and directly support credible maritime domain security and awareness capabilities, a key focus of the National Defense Strategy.
While its primary role is aerial refueling, the MQ-25A is also equipped for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The high-bypass-ratio (5:1) architecture of the AE 3007N demonstrates a low specific fuel consumption (SFC) value that is a key enabler for these types of long-endurance missions.
During its two-hour first flight, the Stingray autonomously executed a digitally programmed mission plan including taxi, take-off, flight maneuvers and landing. The flight further validated the seamless integration of the AE 3007N engine and the aircraft, as well as the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 ground control station that links the entire platform.
Meagan Rater, Rolls-Royce Director of U.S. Mature Programs, Defense, said:
The Rolls-Royce AE 3007N engine was integral to the successful first flight of the MQ-25A Stingray, which will greatly enhance the range and capability of the U.S. Carrier Air Wing. We are honored the U.S. Navy has, once again, put its trust in our proven, reliable family of high-performance AE engines for this critical new unmanned platform. We continue to work closely with the U.S. Navy and Boeing to make the MQ-25A a reality for our service members, giving them a key strategic advantage in contested environments.”
Rolls-Royce expects to deliver four more AE 3007N engines to Boeing in 2026 to support production spares. The overall program of record for the MQ-25A Stingray covers 76 aircraft (plus spare engines).
In all, AE engines power 16 different commercial and military platforms worldwide. More than 7,500 American-made AE engines have been delivered, amassing over 90 million flight hours.
The Rolls-Royce U.S. defense business continues to create lasting investments in American jobs, supply chains, and industrial competitiveness; this aligns fully with the National Defense Strategy’s emphasis on domestic manufacturing, industrial resilience, and sovereign capability. Over the past decade, we’ve invested $1.5 billion in our U.S. manufacturing facilities to meet growing defense, energy and aviation needs. In 2024 alone, Rolls-Royce operations contributed $6.2 billion to the U.S. economy.
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FORT BRAGG, N.C., Picogrid today announced a contract to support the XVIII Airborne Corps as it advances the Army’s modernization efforts, enabling more flexible, integrated use of battlefield systems. Through this work, Picogrid will allow units to rapidly integrate new battlefield systems faster in the field, with a focus on counter-unmanned aerial systems.
The contract is centered on a broader operational challenge facing the Army: as more sensors, autonomous systems, and software from various vendors enter the field, the Army needs a practical way to make these siloed systems work together without long integration timelines or custom engineering for every new capability.
Under the contract, Picogrid will deploy Legion and Expeditionary Command and Control Nodes to directly address this challenge. Together, these solutions will integrate disparate sensors, response systems, and mission software into a shared operational picture, even in environments where connectivity is limited. This work will support rapid onboarding of new technologies, data sharing across different networks, coordination across multiple systems, and continued experimentation with forward-deployed units.
The effort supports work through the Army’s Joint Innovation Outpost, or JIOP, which focuses on moving new capabilities into operational use quickly. For XVIII Airborne Corps, that need is especially acute. As the Army’s global response force, the unit is ready to deploy anywhere in the world on short notice and operates in conditions where systems need to work together immediately.
The award builds on Picogrid’s work supporting prior Army exercises, including Scarlet Dragon at Fort Bragg, where Picogrid orchestrated multiple sensor systems with supported detection, tracking, and sensor-to-sensor cueing workflows. These efforts demonstrated how units can integrate data from multiple systems and coordinate follow-on actions.
“As the Army fields more sensors, autonomous systems, and software, the bottleneck is no longer access to technology. It’s getting those systems to work together fast enough to matter,” said Jake Jeffries, Head of Deployments, Picogrid. “This effort is about giving units a common foundation they can use to bring new capabilities online in weeks, not months, while still working with the systems they already have.”
“For a formation that deploys on short notice, speed of integration matters just as much as the capability itself,” said CW3 Jennings of the XVIII Airborne Corps. “What we need is a system our soldiers can learn quickly, use in the field, and rely on to pull together sensors, decision-making, and response options into one workflow.”
As the pace of fielding continues to increase, the contract reflects a wider shift in Army modernization. The priority is not just acquiring new systems, but making sure they can be integrated, understood, and employed together under real operational conditions.
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Insitu, a Boeing Company, has been awarded an $8.6 million firm fixed-price services contract by Canada’s Department of National Defense to support the Canada Armed Forces’ fleet of long-endurance CU-172 Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS).
The CU-172 UAS is Canada’s name for the RQ-21A Blackjack UAS, originally fielded as a former US DoD Program of Record, currently available as the Integrator UAS with upgraded capabilities, endurance, and range.
The contract includes a base award of $8.6 million for program management and airworthiness services and contains further budget to support authorized work requests for spares, repairs, and other future work, including the addition of advanced resilience features and other updated capabilities currently offered on today’s Integrator UAS platform.
“We are honored to support the evolution of our important Canadian customer’s fleet of long-endurance CU-172 UAS to meet the challenges of today’s contested battlespaces,” said Diane Rose, Insitu CEO. “This award shows that our customers continue to value the unmatched endurance, range, payload capacity, and capability set offered by CU-172 for deep intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR-T) and multi-intelligence mission sets normally reserved for larger, more expensive assets,” she added. “We’re excited to continue to support our Canadian allies as they enhance capabilities to evolve their fleet and take advantage of the advanced capability sets of Integrator UAS.”
About CU-172 / Integrator UAS
Integrator UAS offers up to 27.5 hours of endurance and 50lb of payload capacity across 10 bays, enabling true multi-intelligence mission sets over vast ranges. It has a long track record of safe and reliable heavy fuel operations.
When paired with Insitu’s modular Common Ground Control System and INEXA Control, and updated with current software, hardware, and resilience features, CU-172 and Integrator are ready to fly in contested electronic environments and harsh climates around the world.
This system provides versatile solutions to meet multi-domain ISR-T needs for government and commercial operators worldwide
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Finnish authorities are investigating reports that one or two unmanned aerial systems have
crashed in southeastern Finland, near the town of Kouvola. The incident, which occurred
80km’s from the country’s eastern border, has raised immediate security questions, although
officials have so far refrained from confirming the origin or purpose of the aircraft.
Early speculation suggested the drones may have been Russian, but those claims were
quickly dismissed due to a lack of verified evidence. Authorities have emphasized that the
situation remains unclear and that attribution at this stage would be premature.
The incident comes amid heightened drone activity in the region linked to the ongoing war in
Ukraine. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have conducted long-range drone strikes against
targets inside Russia, including the strategically significant Ust-Luga Port, located relatively
close to the Finnish border. These operations have demonstrated Ukraine’s growing capability
to project unmanned systems deep into contested territory.
Given this context, one line of inquiry being considered is whether the drones found in
Finland may have been part of a wider operation targeting Russian infrastructure. While
unconfirmed, it is possible that the aircraft were intended for targets such as Ust-Luga but
were diverted off course.
Experts note that electronic warfare plays an increasingly significant role in modern drone
operations. Jamming and spoofing systems can interfere with navigation, particularly for
drones relying on satellite guidance. If such interference occurred, it could have caused the
drones to lose their intended trajectory and drift into Finnish airspace before ultimately
crashing.
Unverified reports have suggested the drones may be of the AN-196 type, a one-way attack
platform designed to strike targets and detonate on impact. These systems are typically used
for long-range missions and are not intended to return to their launch point, making them
more vulnerable to navigational disruption if countermeasures are encountered.
Despite the emerging theories, Finnish authorities have stressed that the investigation is
ongoing and that no definitive conclusions have been reached. Security officials are working
to recover and analyze any debris, which may provide critical insights into the drones’ origin,
flight path, and intended mission.
The incident underscores the increasingly blurred lines of modern conflict, where unmanned
systems can traverse vast distances and unintentionally cross into neighboring territories. For
Finland, a NATO member sharing a long border with Russia, such events highlight the
challenges of maintaining airspace security in a rapidly evolving threat environment.
Further updates are expected as the investigation progresses and more information becomes
available.
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London, England — TEKEVER, a leading provider of advanced AI-based autonomous systems, and Quadsat have successfully conducted flight integration tests of the SpectraLoc payload aboard the AR3 EVO tactical UAS.
This step represents an important milestone in validating the interoperability between Quadsat’s technology and TEKEVER’s modular architecture.
Quadsat is a Danish company specializing in long-range electronic warfare payloads with advanced Radio Frequency (RF) sensing technologies that can detect and geolocate hostile emitters deep behind enemy lines or at sea.
The trials highlighted the AR3 EVO’s potential to operate in conjunction with Quadsat’s technology during active flight. Designed to be platform-agnostic and easily portable across various UAS platforms, the SpectraLoc payload offers a strong technological foundation for detecting and geolocating radio frequency signals.
The continued development of this integration is expected to enhance the ability to transform electromagnetic data into actionable intelligence, supporting operators in building a clearer and more reliable understanding of the electromagnetic environment.
By collecting electromagnetic data intelligence airborne, through the use of the Tekever AR3 EVO, the dependency on expensive and traditional ground-based systems was mitigated and time from detection to action was shortened significantly. This strengthens Tekever’s platform as a tool for electronic warfare and supports forces on the ground with accurate, timely intelligence, saving lives on the battlefield.
“This integration reflects our commitment to building flexible, mission-ready systems that can evolve with operational needs,” said Karl Brew, General Manager of TEKEVER UK. “By enabling seamless collaboration between platforms and advanced sensing technologies, we are reinforcing an open architecture approach that prioritizes adaptability and speed.”
By combining these sovereign technologies, both companies are focused on building adaptable ecosystems rather than closed, proprietary systems. This modular approach allows defence and security forces to integrate best-in-class sensors more efficiently, supporting evolving mission requirements without the need for extensive platform reconfiguration.
CEO, Niels Bjerregaard at Quadsat:
“We greatly appreciate the collaboration and the opportunity to integrate our SpectraLoc solution into the Tekever AR3 EVO. At Quadsat, we are committed to ensuring our technology can be implemented across platforms, enabling flexible and scalable deployment for gaining an advantage on the battlefield of today using new technology to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum.”
Looking ahead, both companies will continue to collaborate on further testing and refinement of the integrated solution, with a focus on enhancing performance and operational reliability in complex environments.
As leading providers of AI-centric uncrewed aerial systems and advanced sensing technologies, TEKEVER and Quadsat continue to drive the evolution of autonomous platforms. The ongoing integration of SpectraLoc with the AR3 EVO reflects a shared strategy to deliver scalable, end-to-end systems that maintain operational readiness at the tactical edge.
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Since its founding, Terra Drone has pursued its vision of transforming mobility in the sky, developing and operating drone technologies around the world while accumulating extensive expertise in drone applications across a wide range of industries.
In recent years, as the international situation has become increasingly unstable, the importance of deterrence through technology to protect the lives and property of citizens has grown more than ever before.
Leveraging the technological capabilities and practical operational expertise it has cultivated in the drone sector across global markets, Terra Drone will contribute to the development of a sustainable next-generation defense foundation by providing defense assets that are rapid to deploy, cost-efficient, and highly capable.
Background and Purpose
Since March 2026, the global geopolitical environment has been rapidly evolving, particularly in the Middle East, where tensions are escalating, as well as in the Indo-Pacific region. As the global security environment enters a major turning point, the very concept of defense is being redefined. Against the backdrop of major countries strengthening their defense capabilities, global defense-related spending in fiscal year 2024 exceeded a record high of USD 2.71 trillion (1), making the response to geopolitical risks one of the most critical shared challenges facing the international community.
In the recent Russia-Ukraine war, low-cost drones were deployed on an unprecedented scale as unmanned assets capable of reducing risks to human life, becoming one of the key applications in modern warfare. In response to these developments, countries around the world are now accelerating the development of new defense systems built on the premise of utilizing various unmanned assets, backed by expanding budgetary investment.
Specifically, the global military drone (UAV) market is estimated to be worth USD 15.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 22.8 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6% over the period (2).
Japan’s security environment is also becoming increasingly severe. With intensified military activities in surrounding regions and the emergence of new threats such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain sufficient deterrence through conventional defense systems alone.
In Japan’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget, approximately USD 1.96 billion (3) has been allocated to strengthen defense capabilities involving unmanned assets, marking the largest budget of its kind to date and clearly demonstrating the national policy of positioning unmanned systems (4) at the core of defense.
In addition, under the “SHIELD” concept (5), a multilayered coastal defense framework targeted for establishment in fiscal 2027, Japan is considering a defense structure that combines unmanned assets and various sensors to provide wide-area, phased protection of coastal regions. Drones are expected to serve as one of the core unmanned assets within this framework.
Terra Drone views the defense market—where further expansion is expected across areas, applications, and operational domains—as a field with layered growth opportunities and significant medium- to long-term growth potential. By leveraging the operational expertise in drones that it has cultivated around the world, Terra Drone will work to accelerate the early implementation of solutions tailored to defense needs.
Future Initiatives
Going forward, Terra Drone believes that in the field of unmanned systems for defense, market demand will increasingly emerge and expand along the following three key axes. Terra Drone will position these areas as core strategic priorities.
1. Establishment of U.S. Subsidiary “Terra Defense” and Development of a Global Logistics Network
Terra Drone will establish “Terra Defense” in the United States to build a rapid and flexible supply structure capable of responding to international defense needs. In carrying out import/export operations and technology collaboration, the U.S. entity will oversee the import/export and logistics of defense assets.
The establishment of “Terra Defense” is planned to be completed within FY2026.
2. Phased Global Market Entry
Challenges such as rising geopolitical risks and the growing need to respond to unmanned assets (6) are increasingly becoming common across borders. Of global defense-related spending, which continues to remain at record-high levels, the unmanned systems sector in particular is regarded as a priority investment area, with annual growth projected to exceed 7.6% (7).
In addition to Japan, Terra Drone will promote the deployment of unmanned assets overseas through its “Terra Defense” including Ukraine, NATO member states, and Asian countries.
- Japan: A market where the adaptation of advanced civilian technologies to strengthen the domestic defense base is increasingly required, including under the government-led multilayered coastal defense concept known as SHIELD.
- Ukraine: A market in which operational knowledge from rapidly evolving modern warfare is updated on a daily basis, making agile product development based on real combat feedback and a highly reliable supply structure essential.
- NATO countries: Markets where, amid rising geopolitical tensions, demand is growing for technologies that support both efficient use of defense budgets and the rapid strengthening of defense capabilities.
- United States: An environment where compliance with strict Western defense standards is a prerequisite, and where interoperability and sustained cooperation within the international joint defense network centered on the Japan-U.S. alliance are emphasized.
- Other regions: Markets in which adoption by major allied countries serves as a benchmark of credibility, and where demand for versatile defense platforms is expected to emerge in phases in regions facing common security challenges, such as Asia and the Middle East.
3. Expansion of a Next-Generation Asset Portfolio Across Land, Air, and Sea
In the defense market, while multilayered air defense and coastal defense systems for protecting critical infrastructure remain central, demand is steadily expanding for unmanned assets across land, air, and sea. These include FPV drones (including fiber-optic models), interceptor drones (rocket-type, fixed-wing, and jet-engine-powered), unmanned surface vessels, reconnaissance drones, and OSA (Official Security Assistance) -related drones. Terra Drone will continue to advance product development to expand its lineup of drones and other systems tailored to these various applications.
- FPV drones: Primarily intended for responding to low-altitude threats such as reconnaissance drones. Certain models will incorporate fiber-optic systems to enable extremely stable operations even in jamming environments.
- Rocket-type interceptor drones: An interception solution with high cost efficiency and mass-production capability. These are designed to serve as an effective final line of defense against saturation attacks involving large numbers of small drones.
- Fixed-wing interceptor drones: Designed for wide-area patrol enabled by the characteristics of fixed-wing aircraft. If a target is detected but not intercepted, the drone can return to base and be reused, balancing operational efficiency with preventive defense capability.
- Jet-engine-powered interceptor drones: Core next-generation assets offering superior speed and range, designed for earlier detection and response at greater distances.
- Reconnaissance drones (ISR): Assets equipped with advanced imaging recognition and sensor technologies, specialized for real-time battlefield awareness and intelligence gathering.
- Unmanned surface vessels (USVs): Unmanned assets that support coastal and maritime security operations.
- Response to OSA (Official Security Assistance): Japanese-made aircraft provided through the “OSA” framework, which aims to enhance the security capabilities of like-minded countries. These platforms feature performance specialized for defense and security operations.
Representative’s Comment
Toru Tokushige, CEO of Terra Drone stated:
“The evolution of drone technology is irreversibly transforming the nature of security and defense. Our decision to enter this market marks an important first step in Terra Drone’s long-term business strategy. In line with the accelerating efforts to strengthen defense capabilities, we will focus on the deployment of products that address the needs of each country. By leveraging the real-world operational expertise in drones that we have cultivated around the world, we will actively promote digital transformation in defense that supports public safety and strengthens international deterrence.”
Future Outlook (Impact on Financial Results)
The impact of this matter on our financial results, as currently anticipated, has already been incorporated into the full-year consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending January 2027, announced on March 16, 2026. Should any matters requiring disclosure arise in the future due to the progress of this business, we will promptly make an announcement.
Editor’s Notes
(1) Aggregate estimate based on the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database and publicly disclosed defense budgets of major countries. https://www.sipri.org/databases/milex
(2) Based on data from the MarketsandMarkets research report, Military UAV Market – Global Forecast to 2030. https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/military-drone-market-221577711.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=272040196&gbraid=0AAAAADxY7SzVD22fsOVrWz5AQyFMwvLtz&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2bTNBhDjARIsAK89wlHf0R6tkhU4KUr5BG_YRYEaIFRnEe_HGFm8xq3hCC51eIShHtxTsB0aAsmoEALw_wcB
(3) Ministry of Defense, Defense of Japan and Budget (Overview of the FY2026 Budget Request). https://www.mod.go.jp/j/budget/yosan_gaiyo/index.html
(4) Unmanned systems refer to the overall frameworks, operational structures, and networks that utilize unmanned assets (see Note 6). Source: Ministry of Defense, Ground Staff Office, Ground Research & Development Command, publicly available materials.
https://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/tercom/img/file2705.pdf
(5) Ministry of Defense, published materials on Development of the Multilayered Coastal Defense Framework (SHIELD). https://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/tercom/img/file2705.pdf
(6) Unmanned assets refer to individual physical defense equipment and platforms, including drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Source: Ministry of Defense, Ground Staff Office, Ground Research & Development Command, publicly available materials.
https://www.mod.go.jp/gsdf/tercom/img/file2705.pdf
(7) For further details, see the MarketsandMarkets research report, Military UAV Market – Global Forecast to 2030.
https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/military-drone-market-221577711.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=272040196&gbraid=0AAAAADxY7SzVD22fsOVrWz5AQyFMwvLtz&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2bTNBhDjARIsAK89wlHf0R6tkhU4KUr5BG_YRYEaIFRnEe_HGFm8xq3hCC51eIShHtxTsB0aAsmoEALw_wcB
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British drone manufacturer Evolve Dynamics has appointed former Dyson product leader Paul Finn-Kelcey as its first Chief Product Officer, strengthening the company’s focus on scaling sovereign uncrewed aerial systems for military use.
The appointment reflects Evolve Dynamics’ ambition to drive the industrialisation of high-performance small UAS for the British Armed Forces and allied militaries. As demand for uncrewed systems accelerates across NATO, the company is investing in the design, manufacturing and supply chain capabilities required to deliver resilient systems at scale.
Finn-Kelcey brings several decades of experience leading complex product development programmes, including senior product leadership roles at Dyson and Vax. Across these roles he led multidisciplinary engineering organisations responsible for taking advanced technologies from concept through to high-volume production.
At Evolve Dynamics, he will lead product development across the company’s core platforms – FOXE, WOLFE and SKY MANTIS 2 – ensuring they can be produced reliably, rapidly and at the mass required for modern military operations.
The role will focus on strengthening design for manufacture, quality management and sovereign resilience, while enabling faster iteration of operational systems informed by Evolve Dynamics’ close engagement with frontline users.
Tom Redman, CEO of Evolve Dynamics, said: “Modern militaries require uncrewed systems to be capable, produced rapidly and available at significant scale. Paul brings deep experience in industrialising complex engineering products, and his leadership will help ensure our platforms can be delivered reliably at the volumes modern armed forces require.”
Finn-Kelcey added: “Evolve Dynamics is building highly capable systems for a mission that matters. I’m excited to work with the team to strengthen the product foundations that will allow these platforms to scale and support armed forces in their adoption of uncrewed systems.”
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On the evening of 20 February 2026, an ATR-72-600 passenger aircraft operated by Myanmar National Airlines was preparing for take-off at Myitkyina Airport in Kachin State when it was struck in an alleged First-Person View drone attack. State media and official press releases reported that suicide drones caused minor damage to the nose, mid-body, and tail sections of the plane.
According to security forces, air defence systems detected the incoming threat, preventing a direct detonation inside the airport and forcing the devices to crash on the runway where they were subsequently defused. Fortunately, no passengers or flight crew sustained injuries.
The military junta was quick to blame the Kachin Independence Army and allied Peoples Defence Force units, describing the targeting of civilian transport infrastructure as a war crime. However, a spokesman for the Kachin armed group firmly denied the allegations, insisting they have no policy of attacking civilian airlines and took no part in the operation.
Regardless of the perpetrator, the airport incident underscores a rapidly evolving asymmetric war in Myanmar, a nation now recognised as the world’s second most intensive theatre for drone warfare behind only Ukraine. Following the 2021 military coup, tech-savvy resistance fighters, including young engineers and students, began weaponising commercially available agricultural and photography drones to counter the militarys vast superiority in traditional airpower and heavy artillery.
What began as rudimentary operations dropping 3D-printed munitions has transformed into a sophisticated, decentralised shadow air force. Rebel units have increasingly turned to agile First-Person View racing drones, modifying them to act as highly manoeuvrable loitering munitions capable of precision kamikaze strikes against junta targets.
This alleged strike on a fixed-wing aircraft follows a clear pattern of increasingly audacious anti-aviation operations by rebel forces. In May 2025, the Kachin Independence Army successfully used a similar drone to down a military Mi-17 transport helicopter that was hovering just feet off the ground while attempting to land with supplies in Shwegu. Resistance forces have also repeatedly penetrated high-security airspace, executing coordinated kamikaze drone strikes against the juntas military headquarters and the Aye Lar airbase in the capital city of Naypyidaw.
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- New drones will pair up with Apache attack helicopters, pivoting to a new way of war and delivering on the Strategic Defence Review.
- Industry partnering with Defence to shape future of autonomous weapons systems.
- Seven industry partners advance to the next stage of Project NYX.
Seven industry partners have been invited to bring forward their designs for the futuristic drones, which will accompany British Army helicopters in future battles.
Known as Project NYX, the programme is an innovative approach to work alongside industry to advance development of Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) to operate alongside Apache attack helicopters.
When completed the drones will be able to function as ‘loyal wingmen,’ working alongside crewed Apache attack helicopters to perform a variety of complex tasks such as reconnaissance and surveillance in contested areas, strike and target acquisition and electronic warfare.
Through the Strategic Defence Review, the UK is pivoting to a new way of war, by harnessing new technology our Armed Forces will increasingly utilise uncrewed and autonomous capabilities to generate mass and lethality. Project NYX is delivery of that work in action, capitalising on the power of drones, AI and autonomy to complement the ‘heavy metal’ of tanks and artillery to make our Armed Forces stronger and safer on the battlefield.
The drones will operate on a ‘command rather than control’ principle, utilising AI for independent decision-making – being able to adjust to complex battlefield situations within the bounds of mission parameters. They will enhance lethality, survivability, and mission effectiveness while reducing the risk and logistical burden for human-operated systems.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said:
These drones of the future will make the British Army more effective and lethal by enhancing our ability to strike, survive and win on the battlefield.
Project NYX represents the cutting edge of the Defence Industrial Strategy, working with leading British industry partners to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of autonomous military technology.
The invitation to tender follows a rigorous pre-qualification phase that concluded late in 2025. Backing British companies and making defence an engine for growth, the seven shortlisted industry partners are as follows:
- Anduril
- BAE Systems
- Leonardo
- Lockheed Martin UK
- Syos
- Tekever
- Thales
In March 2026 the shortlist will be further down selected to four suppliers, when they will be invited to and offered contracts to participate in research and development to produce a concept demonstrator, with initial operational capability targeted for 2030.
(Picture wise IFKYN)
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Working with unmanned systems means solving a simple but demanding problem: how do we help operators see more, stay safer, and make better decisions in difficult environments?
Over the past months, our team has been focused on exactly that.
And now we begin a new step: working together with DOK-ING, a company with extensive experience in developing dual-use robotic systems engineered for high risk operations.
Vegvisir has been selected as the best bidder in a public tender in Croatia for the development and integration of an immersive interface, with DOK-ING as the contracting party.
As part of this project, we will integrate our solutions – Vegvisir Remote and the Vegvisir Virtual Command Station – into DOK-ING’s unmanned systems. These tools support safer remote operation, clearer visibility, and more informed decision-making for unmanned platforms.
The system is planned to be integrated onto DOK-ING’s unmanned ground vehicles, which are performing in demanding environments where technology for additional awareness matters significantly.
It’s meaningful work, and we value the chance to bring both teams’ experience together toward a shared goal.
The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.
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