A British Army Air Corps AH-64E Apache attack helicopter pictured during Exercise Pinion Titan. (UK MoD)
BELFAST ― The UK has down-selected a group of four competitors to develop drone wingman aircraft capable of teaming with British Army Apache attack helicopters.
Britain’s BAE Systems, as well as the British arms of US-based Anduril, Portugal’s Tekever and French manufacturer Thales, have been chosen for the concept demonstrator effort, dubbed Project NYX, which includes a funding package of £10 million ($13.4 million), the Ministry of Defence announced today.
The MoD said that all drone designs are to be evaluated and narrowed down to at most two competitors over the next few months for a prototype design phase “before a final partner is chosen later this year.”
“If the prototype designs prove successful, the aim is to field an operational variant for use by 2030,” added the MoD statement. The latest down-select comes after a field of seven competitors were picked in January to put forward their designs.
