The United Kingdom has selected seven defense companies to develop prototype uncrewed aircraft that will operate alongside Apache attack helicopters, advancing a British Army program aimed at integrating autonomous systems into frontline aviation operations.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the companies were invited to the next stage of Project NYX, a program designed to create “loyal wingman” drones capable of supporting Apache helicopters during combat missions. The initiative is part of the government’s Strategic Defence Review and reflects a shift toward uncrewed and autonomous systems across British land and air forces.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the selected companies are Anduril, BAE Systems, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin UK, Syos, Tekever, and Thales. Each firm will now submit detailed design proposals for uncrewed aircraft intended to operate in close coordination with crewed attack helicopters in contested environments.
Project NYX focuses on developing drones that can perform reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, strike missions, and electronic warfare tasks while flying in support of Apache units. The drones are expected to extend the reach of helicopter formations, reduce risk to aircrews, and improve situational awareness in high-threat areas.
As outlined by the ministry, the drones will operate under a “command rather than control” model, allowing human crews to assign missions while the aircraft use onboard artificial intelligence to execute tasks within defined parameters. This approach is intended to reduce the cognitive load on pilots while enabling faster responses to changing battlefield conditions.
The UK government said the program is structured as a close partnership between defence officials and industry, allowing rapid iteration of designs and early testing of autonomous concepts. The current phase follows a pre-qualification process that concluded in late 2025, narrowing a wider field of candidates to the seven companies now advancing to prototype development.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the project represents a shift in how the British Army plans to fight future wars. “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,” Pollard said in a statement released with the announcement.
Project NYX is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing crewed platforms. British officials describe the drones as force multipliers that will allow Apache helicopters to operate at greater stand-off distances, gather intelligence without exposing pilots to air defenses, and conduct coordinated attacks with reduced risk to human crews.
The drones are expected to integrate with existing Apache command systems, allowing crews to task them during flight. Missions could include forward reconnaissance, decoy operations, and electronic attack, as well as the identification and tracking of targets for crewed platforms or other long-range strike assets.
In March 2026, the Ministry of Defence plans to narrow the field to four suppliers, which will receive contracts to build concept demonstrators. These demonstrators will form the basis for further testing and refinement, with the goal of achieving an initial operational capability by 2030.
Officials said the program also supports the UK’s defence industrial base by prioritizing domestic and UK-based companies, while still including major international primes with established British operations. The ministry described Project NYX as a core element of its broader Defence Industrial Strategy, aimed at accelerating the adoption of autonomous systems while maintaining national control over critical military technologies.
The British Army currently operates the Apache AH-64E Guardian, a modernized version of the attack helicopter equipped with advanced sensors, networking, and long-range weapons. Integrating uncrewed wingman aircraft is expected to further extend the platform’s effectiveness in high-threat environments, particularly against modern air defense systems.
The program’s progress signals a broader shift in British defense planning, with autonomous systems increasingly seen as essential to maintaining combat effectiveness in future conflicts.
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