The UK’s MoD has invited seven corporations to suggest their designs for Challenge NYX, which is able to give the AH-64 Apache an unmanned loyal wingman.
The U.Ok. Ministry of Defence (MoD) took a brand new step in the direction of Challenge NYX on Jan. 24, 2026, by inviting seven European and U.S. firms to current their designs. The brand new improvement follows a pre-qualification section which concluded in late-2025, and can be adopted by an extra down collection of 4 corporations in March.
Challenge NYX seeks new Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP)/Uncrewed Air Techniques (UAS) that can be employed as “loyal wingmen” drones for the AH-64 Apache assault helicopters. Primarily performing Intelligence, Reconnaissance, Goal Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and Digital Warfare (EW) roles, they’d additionally convey the reasonably priced “mass and lethality” in contested battlespaces.
The MoD identifies the seven firms invited as Anduril, BAE Techniques, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin UK, Syos, Tekever and Thales. Early in December 2025, Anduril UK, a subsidiary of the U.S. agency Anduril, had teamed up with British firm GKN Aerospace for Challenge NYX, with the press launch displaying the tail part of a mock up plane, which we famous it urged the Anduril/GKN bid would possibly favor a tiltrotor plane method.
The long run choice in March will contain formal contracts for analysis and improvement of idea demonstrators. The MoD says it’s presently focusing on an Preliminary Operational Functionality (IOC) by 2030.
British firms are constructing the way forward for defence.
Seven UK business companions have been chosen to develop prototype ‘wingman’ drones that may function alongside Apache assault helicopters.
These autonomous techniques will work alongside our Armed Forces to maintain them safer on… pic.twitter.com/nMGMG9tVQc
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 24, 2026
British Apache assault helicopters
The 2026 World Air Forces report, which counted figures till December 2025, places the variety of AH-64E Model 6 (V6) with the British Military’s Air Corps at 50. The ‘E’ variant is distinguished by the flexibility to make use of a Manned Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) mast for controlling uncrewed aerial techniques, and the UK may probably share classes with the U.S. Military on its employment.
The British helicopters have practiced traditional overhead helicopter gunship roles in assist of armored operations with U.S. Military AH-64E Apache Model 6 helicopters. Nevertheless, the British Military has famous the benefits of the joint employment of manned assault helicopters and unmanned platforms within the new fight eventualities.
The next reference by the U.Ok. MoD to the persevering with significance of assault helicopters, notably in armored and artillery warfare, validates the earlier analyses by The Aviationist: “Challenge NYX is supply of that work in motion, capitalizing on the ability of drones, AI and autonomy to enhance the ‘heavy steel’ of tanks and artillery to make our Armed Forces stronger and safer on the battlefield.”
The Royal Air Power has additionally examined First Particular person View (FPV) drones from its CH-47 Chinooks, probably in the direction of an identical working idea. This might need served largely to freeze the procedures for safely working drones from aboard helicopters that haven’t built-in capabilities to regulate unmanned property.
UK has chosen 7 firms to develop prototype uncrewed “wingman” drones designed to function alongside Apache assault helicopters underneath Challenge NYX.This system goals to subject autonomous techniques for reconnaissance,strike,& digital warfare missions,with preliminary operational 2030. pic.twitter.com/BC0SylGQOW
— Valhalla (@ELMObrokenWings) January 24, 2026
Autonomous drones
The MoD’s subsequent specification of the drones being required to function on a “command moderately than management” precept suggests extremely autonomous capabilities, reflecting the fashionable realities of electromagnetic spectrum warfare.
“The drones will function on a ‘command moderately than management’ precept, using AI for impartial decision-making – having the ability to modify to complicated battlefield conditions throughout the bounds of mission parameters,” reads the MoD’s assertion. “They’ll improve lethality, survivability, and mission effectiveness whereas lowering the chance and logistical burden for human-operated techniques.”
Drones with larger man-in-the-loop management additionally entail flooding the encompassing airwaves with extra radio management indicators, making a ripe goal for digital warfare jamming, and probably strikes. Naturally, with the next diploma of autonomy, the crew can give attention to different fight duties too, whereas merely overseeing and commanding the UAV.
AI could be utilised for impartial decision-making, having the ability to modify to complicated battlefield conditions throughout the bounds of mission parameters. They’ll improve lethality, survivability, and mission effectiveness whereas lowering the chance and logistical burden for human-operated techniques.
Semi-autonomous drones can undertake primary duties like taxi, take-off, set waypoint patrols and return to base and land, whereas autonomous drones can themselves scan, detect, monitor and interact and confirmed hostile targets, with out human intervention. These duties don’t require sentient, contextual reasoning, and the AI applied sciences governing them will be additional perfected by means of Machine Studying (ML).
Current drones
Lockheed Martin UK shared footage on Jan. 8, 2026, of a check within the UK of its MDCX mission autonomy software program, built-in with the U.Ok.-developed Vigilance Mission and Sensor administration system. They concurrently commanded a Group 1 Indago 2 quadcopter and a Group 2 Stalker fastened‑wing UAS – the latter a Lockheed product generally utilized by many particular operations forces.
📢 Large information from #Cowes: @GKNAero & @anduriltech have signed a teaming settlement to advance the UK’s next-gen UAV & rotorcraft functionality, in collaboration with @flyarcher.
The partnership may create 100+ expert jobs.
Full launch 👉 pic.twitter.com/za1k9KjUDi
— GKN Aerospace (@GKNAero) December 9, 2025
The corporate didn’t say when the check befell, however the press launch quoted the commanding officer of the Royal Navy Air Station Culdrose. It’s also unclear whether or not this trial is said to Challenge NYX.
Tekever, one of many different opponents, already has a few of its platforms in service within the UK, together with the AR3 which served as the bottom for the StormShroud drones. The corporate has additionally been supplying its AR3 autonomous small UAS for medium vary maritime and land-based ISTAR missions to Ukraine since 2022.
We put our autonomous tech to the check and it delivered. 🌐
Our MDCX™ platform concurrently managed an Indago quadcopter, Stalker UAS with the Vigilance system throughout a current UK demo. pic.twitter.com/mTxWZ9jD1n
— Lockheed Martin UK (@LMUKNews) January 8, 2026
One other step in the direction of Challenge NYX
Minister for Defence Readiness and Trade Luke Pollard stated within the press launch that these drones are supposed to make the British Military “simpler and deadly.” He additional added “Challenge NYX represents the reducing fringe of the Defence Industrial Technique, working with main British business companions to make sure the UK stays on the forefront of autonomous army know-how.”
Challenge NYX builds upon the Strategic Defence Assessment, that aspires to have UAVs pairing up with Apache assault helicopters, “pivoting to a brand new means of battle.” The finished drones of the seven business companions which have been invited to convey ahead their designs should function “loyal wingmen” alongside crewed Apache assault helicopters to carry out “reconnaissance and surveillance in contested areas, strike and goal acquisition and digital warfare.”
🇺🇦 For the reason that outbreak of battle almost three years in the past, #TEKEVER has been offering unwavering 24/7 assist to Ukrainian operators who danger their lives day by day.The TEKEVER AR3 has turn into a significant instrument in Ukraine’s defence, taking part in a key position in figuring out high-value enemy targets pic.twitter.com/n2vjQTtWi7
— TEKEVER (@TEKEVER) January 30, 2025
The MoD additionally famous how the SDR was reorienting to a “new means of battle” that includes “harnessing new know-how” in “uncrewed and autonomous capabilities” for the British army “to generate mass and lethality.”
