"California-based Anduril Industries, the fast-rising defence start-up valued at $30bn, has partnered with British engineering group GKN Aerospace to build components for the drones in Cowes. The plan hinges on winning a Ministry of Defence competition to produce a new class of autonomous systems designed to fly alongside the Army's Apache attack helicopters."
"The programme, known as Project NYX, is expected to reshape Britain's battlefield aviation capabilities. Tender documents describe an autonomous platform able to operate in "contested airspace", carrying out reconnaissance, target acquisition and precision strikes while reducing risk to aircrew. The goal is to boost the "lethality and survivability" of Apache helicopters while sharply lowering maintenance and logistical demands."
"Anduril, founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the tech entrepreneur who previously created Oculus VR, has rapidly become one of the most in-demand defence suppliers in the US, championing AI-enabled, low-cost autonomous technology at scale. Its surge in valuation over the past year reflects soaring global demand for autonomous defence systems. Luckey has been outspoken about the moral case for using advanced AI to reduce civilian casualties and improve decision-making. "When it comes to life-and-death decisions, it is too critical an area not to apply the best technology available," he told Fox News."
Anduril Industries and GKN Aerospace plan to manufacture next-generation autonomous fighter drones on the Isle of Wight to support the British Army under Project NYX, subject to winning a Ministry of Defence competition. Project NYX aims to field autonomous platforms that can operate in contested airspace to conduct reconnaissance, target acquisition and precision strikes alongside Apache attack helicopters, improving lethality and survivability while lowering maintenance and logistical burdens. The MoD plans to spend around £100 million on the initial design phase, reflecting urgency from the Russia-Ukraine war and rising demand for AI-enabled unmanned systems. Anduril emphasizes using advanced AI to reduce civilian casualties and improve decision-making.
Read at Business Matters
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