Army unveils design for new uncrewed helicopter drone that will protect Appache gunships from attack by hostile forces

PLANS for drone helicopters to protect manned Apache gunships have been revealed by the Army. The so-called robo-choppers will fly in swarms and will be loaded with sensors and weapons to detect and destroy hostile forces before they can threaten pilots’ lives. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The Army has unveiled plans for swarms of armed drone helicopters designed to protect Apache gunships by detecting and destroying threats before pilots are put in danger Credit: Ministry of Defence Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the robo-chopper programme would give troops an ‘unbeatable advantage on the battlefield’ Credit: Rex Concept art of the BAE Systems pilotless tech has been released. The firm will split £10million with three other companies to develop the drones as part of Project Nyx. The MoD said the aircraft will be fully autonomous and Apache pilots “will benefit from the information they’re providing, without needing to control them directly”. But decisions to unleash weapons “will continue to be made by a human,” the MoD insisted. Other firms involved in development include the UK divisions of French giant Thales, US firm Anduril and Portuguese company Tekever. Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the robo-chopper programme would give troops an “unbeatable advantage on the battlefield”. He said: “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.” Most read in The Sun It comes after Army chief General Sir Roly Walker was overruled by ministers over a £1billion order for 23 new choppers, which he said were a lesser priority to drones. The first aircraft from Project Nyx is expected to enter service in 2030. Comment now