Seven defence companies have been shortlisted to develop prototype uncrewed aircraft intended to operate alongside British Army Apache attack helicopters, as the Ministry of Defence advances its Project NYX programme.
The initiative aims to develop so called loyal wingman drones that can support crewed helicopters on future operations, carrying out tasks including reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, strike support and electronic warfare in contested environments.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Project NYX is intended to shape how uncrewed air systems are integrated into frontline aviation, with drones operating on a command rather than control model. This would allow aircraft to use artificial intelligence to adapt to battlefield conditions within predefined mission parameters, reducing risk to aircrew while increasing operational reach and tempo. The programme is being positioned as part of the Strategic Defence Review’s emphasis on autonomy, mass and new ways of fighting, with uncrewed systems expected to complement conventional platforms such as attack helicopters, armour and artillery.
Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard said the programme marked a shift in how the Army prepares for future conflict.
“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,” he said. “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 seven companies invited to submit prototype designs are Anduril, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin UK, Syos, Tekever and Thales. The selection follows a pre qualification phase completed in late 2025.
In March 2026, the shortlist is expected to be reduced to four suppliers, which will be offered research and development contracts to produce concept demonstrators. Initial operational capability for the system is currently targeted for 2030. The Ministry of Defence said the programme is intended to strengthen collaboration with industry while accelerating the development of autonomous air systems capable of operating alongside crewed combat aircraft in high threat environments.
No Elbit UK?
Why not?
Labour being anti Israeli again
Israel has already threatened to withhold support and parts for countries voting against them. It’s even threatening to withdraw support for F35 if Turkey gets it. Israel is not a UK treaty ally, we should not be importing any equipment from non treaty allies.
Even though Elbit UK is a UK company with UK workers and all manufacturing is done in the UK?
It has just purchased UTACS from Thales
It is a subsidiary of Elbit Israel.
Your assumptions are false
Why should we not import kit from non teaty countires? even if the kit is better than others offer? i am just asking the logic behind your statement. Buy more USA kit, so they can rob us blind and decide when we are allowed to up grade it ie the F35 sofeware up dates to use non USA weapons issues?
Are they still relevant? ‘ “The AH-64D … is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today.” Lt Gen Ryan also said that both Russian and Ukrainian attack helicopters have demonstrated “extremely limited” effectiveness in the Ukraine war.” ‘
The AH64 is now seen as a maneuver asset design to fight a deep battle at corps level rather than its previous fire support role. It’s still very relevant in this role although it requires significant SEAD a capability which neither Russia or Ukraine possess.
The deep battle role is what it has actually ended up doing in the two major wars in fought in Iraq 1991 and 2003.
Their role and doctrine has quietly changed. Drones will carry out a lot of general anti armour work spread out over the whole of the front line, or that’s the plan when the drones finally get bought in sufficient numbers. Apaches will be used in a more focused concentrated force, punching a hole through lines, part of a larger deep strike maneuver element, again with supporting drones, and again when finally bought in sufficient numbers.
The change in doctrine makes sense as drone and anti air tech develops, it’s the fact it is dependant on the drones it needs actually escaping prototype and study group stage that’s the elephant in the room…
The attack helicopter fits now into the same role the tank destroyer did during WW2. Mobile fast response to enemy breakthroughs, but not leading or supporting breakthroughs themselves. Have we forgotten how lethal they were during the second Ukrainian summer offensive, the deployment of attack helicopters was almost certainly the reason the assault failed to meet the scale of the previous years.
Much like the tank we will never see them dissappear, there simply isn’t a reliable analogue to a heavily armed loitering asset that can rapidly change its location.
Yes let’s spend millions on more demonstration programs when they actually need to buy some kit. The entire defence spend uplift swallowed by housing nuclear and inflation.
Pointless program to throw cash away
Are these one way drones? Haven’t they got to be able to keep up and even go faster and further than the Apache itself? Thats a big ask. Hope they’re agile as and designed not to get in the way and jepodise helo safety.
Love the headline wording !!!
For a split second, I thought we might just have finally, ordered some kit but probably another ten years before all the meetings (swarms of meetings that drone on and on !) are over and then We’ll just start all over again.
Beem me up Scotty !
This government seem hell bent on Drones has if it’s the answer to everything on the Battlefield . Yes drones have their place no question about it .But like another poster has stated more kit is needed, for me it’s HMG cutting cost , Most battlefield drones are one way do there damage and don’t return meaning no maintains and less manpower needed , goes without saying paying or feeding them. 💰🍽 🙄
They are only talking about drones though. Not actually ordering any. It’s just a way of keeping thousands of civil servants in jobs for the May elections. Oh, that can’t be right. They’ve cancelled them.!
Interestingly, of all the Drone programmes we have ongoing, this one I believe has the most funding behind it, which makes me hopeful it’ll get somewhere.
Agree with Jim, we shouldn’t really be ordering anything from Israel while they remain in breach of so many UN resolutions and international laws.
We are a bit spineless here, scared of upsetting the USA and its AIPAC lobby. With luck, Elbit won’t win the contract. We have just wasted a stack of money on the Israeli Watchkeeper drones, which are being pulled from service prematurely because they don’t work very well at all.
Good to see the idea being taken forward, Helicoptors are great assits but more open to threats than before,
How are Anduril and LM British companies? These American companies, are subject to US laws and congress.
Given the US is pivoting to cancellation of the mid term elections, the introduction of Martial Law and an Authoritarian dictatorship. Surely HMG should only be engaging with Independent UK companies?
We risk being controlled by an authoritarian power that is fascist in Nature and does not share our democratic society