Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace have signed an exclusive teaming agreement to deliver the airframe for the British Army’s Project NYX, anchoring a wider industrial push that the companies say will accelerate autonomous capability while reinforcing a UK supply chain already supporting an estimated 50,000 jobs.
Anduril confirmed the partnership today, calling it a major step in the development of the Army’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform. GKN Aerospace will become the airframe manufacturing and electrical integration partner, bringing its long experience in military aerostructures and its large Isle of Wight workforce into the programme.
The agreement sits within Anduril’s growing UK supplier network. More than 100 companies are already involved in its programmes, including Atom Performance Technologies, Flarebright, Olsen Actuators and Isembard. Anduril said this phase of NYX is designed to inject new capability, investment and competition into the land robotics and autonomous aviation space, with further opportunities under consideration at GKN’s Cowes facility.
Rich Drake, Managing Director of Anduril UK, said “this partnership with GKN Aerospace is an exciting next step in our journey to provide and deliver innovative, sovereign solutions to the UK MOD. As we work together to create novel solutions to continuously evolving threats, we are committed to utilising the full depth and breadth of British engineering talent.”
Dave Bond, Senior Vice President for Defence Technology at GKN Aerospace, described the collaboration as a major strategic alignment. “This is an extremely exciting partnership, combining cutting edge technologies and world-class industrial capabilities. Together, GKN Aerospace and Anduril will bring all-new defence solutions to the field in rapid time.”
Archer Aviation will also work with both firms, providing eVTOL and hybrid-propulsion expertise to shape the final airframe design and meet Army requirements for rapid deployment and long-range autonomous lift.
Anduril stressed that Project NYX aims to create a sovereign British capability rather than relying on imported systems. “We are proud to combine our autonomy and mission orchestration capabilities with the world-leading integration, design and build expertise of Babcock and HII, to rapidly deliver the Royal Navy’s vision of a Hybrid Navy,” said Arondite CEO Will Blyth in reference to wider UK autonomy efforts. The company sees similar integration principles underpinning the land domain.
Make UK Defence director-general Andrew Kinniburgh welcomed the announcement, calling it “a vote of confidence in our growing sector” and arguing that partnerships which blend legacy engineering firms with new defence tech firms underpin the UK’s ability to deliver sovereign capability and economic growth.
Local representatives also highlighted the regional effect. Richard Quigley, MP for Isle of Wight West, said the deal “demonstrates that innovative, high-tech manufacturing and advanced defence capability are being developed right here, supporting local jobs and the growth of vital skills.”
Anduril has expanded its UK presence rapidly since 2019, securing contracts with the Royal Marines and Strategic Command. The company said the NYX teaming arrangement positions the UK to gain from new investment in autonomous systems, airframe manufacturing and AI-enabled mission software at a time when the MOD is seeking to grow sovereign resilience and accelerate technology adoption.
George, do you have any sources or links to press releases etc? It’s nice to be able to go and do my own reading on news articles in cases where having the detail in the article wouldn’t be helpful.
This seems useful, though it’s strange that they haven’t revealed the design. Apparently GKN are the largest commercial employer on the IoW so it’s a good local investment.
Where’s the other two thirds ?
It’s actually got a newly developed invisible covering but because the Army blew so much on Ajax they ran out of money before applying it to the tail.
Ha, I knew there would be a perfectly simple answer !
There’s 5 meetings planned per third part.
That wouldn’t surpise me !!!
Archer are building the Midnight eVTOL air taxi. I wonder is the design going in this direction or will they be looking more at Anduril’s Roadrunner. The Telegraph has an on-line piece saying the requirement if for Apache (AH-64E) collaboration drones. Which means definitely VTOL. Hurry and wait as per usual, though with Anduril, they have a really quick fail fast, learn fast process.