Project NYX is the British Army’s concept demonstrator programme, launched in November 2025 by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in cooperatioon with UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) as the delivery agent. The initiative aims to develop Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) capable of operating autonomously alongside AH-64E Apache helicopters on various missions in contested environments, such as reconnaissance, precision strikes, target acquisition and electronic warfare.
Thanks to their full autonomy, these new drones would not require direct control from the Apache helicopter crews, who would instead make use of the information provided by their “unmanned wingmen”. However, humans would remain responsible for all decisions regarding the use of weapons.
In the initial phase of the project, seven manufacturers were involved – Anduril Industries (UK) Ltd, BAE Systems Operations Ltd, Leonardo MW Ltd, Lockheed Martin UK Ltd, Syos Aerospace UK Ltd, Tekever Ltd and Thales UK Ltd.
On 15 May 2026, the Project NYX reached a new milestone when the UK MoD officially down-selected four companies from the competitive field to develop technology demonstrators. These companies are Anduril Industries (UK) Ltd, BAE Systems Operations Ltd, Tekever Ltd and Thales UK Ltd.
Each company has been awarded a contract, with a total of £10 million in development funding made available for the programme. Their proposals include various uncrewed air systems, each offering innovative autonomy, payloads and sensors.
Over the coming months, the MOD will work with the four selected companies to assess their submissions. Up to two of the strongest proposals will be taken forward to the next phase.
The next stage of the competition, involving the construction of prototype designs, is planned for autumn 2026. If they prove successful, the intention is to have an operational version of the aircraft ready for service by 2030.
“This is British ingenuity at its best – cutting-edge drones working alongside Apache helicopters to give our soldiers an unbeatable advantage on the battlefield. The UK isn’t just keeping up with the future of warfare, we’re driving it,” said Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP.
The Project NYX is one of the first steps towards greater autonomy within the British Army and demonstrates how the UK MoD is delivering on the Strategic Defence Review, which placed significant emphasis on autonomous technology for the armed forces.
“This government said it would act with urgency to strengthen our defences and back British industry, and that is exactly what we are doing – investing now in the capabilities our Armed Forces will need to stay ahead of our adversaries and keep this country safe,” added Pollard.
Cover photo: British Army Air Corps Apache helicopters from 673 Sqn, 7 Army Air Corps, at RAF Valley during training sorties in 2025. Photo: Cpl Gareth McGarvie RAF / UK MOD © Crown copyright 2025
All photos and quotations were used under the UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright Editorial License
