The UK Ministry of Defence’s ambitious Project NYX — the effort to deliver a demonstrator for the Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP) program — is gaining momentum ahead of a formal tender notice set for release on December 19, 2025. With a contract award expected by the third quarter of 2026 and valued at £100 million, the program is poised to shape the next decade of Army aviation and autonomous warfare.
Designed as a highly autonomous aerial system, the ACP is being pitched not simply as another unmanned aircraft but as a “commanded, not controlled” platform. Its role will extend beyond standard ISR functions, offering intelligence, reconnaissance, target acquisition, and launched effects while working alongside the British Army’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Essentially, the ACP will serve as a rotary-wing “loyal wingman,” extending the Apache’s sensor reach and weapons envelope while reducing risks to aircrew in high-threat environments.
One of the first industry teams to publicly declare its intent to bid is Anduril UK, which has partnered with GKN Aerospace on a joint proposal. Anduril — known for its rapid-innovation model and advanced autonomous aircraft such as the YFQ-44A for U.S. forces — has expanded aggressively in the UK. Since 2023, its UK workforce has grown from just four employees to 40, and a dedicated production and research facility is planned in the near future. The company also secured a £30 million MoD deal in March 2025 to supply Altius loitering munitions for onward transfer to Ukraine.
GKN Aerospace, meanwhile, brings centuries of engineering heritage and deep-rooted UK industrial capacity. Originating as an ironworks in 1759, the company transformed over centuries into one of the UK’s most significant aerospace manufacturers. With 3,600 employees spread across six UK sites, GKN supplies components to Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and other major firms. About 1,000 of its personnel are based at the Cowes, Isle of Wight facility — the center of gravity for the Project NYX partnership with Anduril.
Rich Drake, Managing Director of Anduril UK, described the collaboration as a major milestone, emphasizing the importance of pairing modern autonomous technologies with sovereign British engineering. GKN’s Senior Vice President for Defence Technology, Dave Bond, echoed that sentiment, calling the partnership the start of a long-term, strategically aligned relationship built to deliver cutting-edge defence systems at speed.
Although the MoD has not yet finalized design specifications for the NYX demonstrator, early indicators point toward a tiltrotor concept. Images released by Anduril, combined with the involvement of Archer Aviation — a known player in advanced vertical flight technologies — suggest that the team is leaning toward a high-speed VTOL aircraft capable of sustained forward flight. A tiltrotor ACP, however, would likely fly significantly faster than the AH-64E Apache, raising questions about how the two platforms will operate cooperatively. One likely scenario is that the ACP will leap ahead of manned Apaches, scouting for threats and extending the Army’s engagement range while minimizing pilot exposure.
Industry voices see this partnership as more than a bid for a single program. Make UK Defence Director-General Andrew Kinniburgh described the collaboration as a signal of confidence in Britain’s defence-industrial landscape — one that promises not only new capabilities for the armed forces but also high-skill jobs and renewed activity across multiple UK sites.
The announcement also cements Anduril’s growing global posture. Less than a decade old, the company now operates subsidiaries in the UK and Australia, recently opened an office in Tokyo to develop Anduril Japan, and is building a parallel presence in South Korea. Securing involvement in a major British manufacturing program marks another step toward embedding itself in key allied defence markets.
As of now, no rival bidders have publicly stepped forward, though the competition is expected to draw significant interest as the tender release approaches. On the same day Anduril and GKN hinted at a tiltrotor design, Vertical Aerospace — a UK-based eVTOL pioneer — unveiled plans for a commercial tiltrotor airtaxi service in London beginning in 2029. The company, which has previously collaborated with GKN Aerospace, could emerge as a potential competitor or subcontractor depending on the program’s final requirements.
With the MoD pushing hard to advance autonomous collaborative systems across all domains, Project NYX represents one of the most strategically consequential aviation programs in years. Its outcome will not only influence how the British Army fights but also shape the evolution of the UK’s defence-industrial partnerships well into the 2030s.
