The UK Ministry of Defence has issued a call for proposals for an autonomous collaborative platform (ACP) to operate alongside the British Army’s Apache AH-64E helicopters. Following the RAF’s rollout of StormShroud ACP earlier this year, the army envisions a system that can perform intelligence gathering, targeting, strike missions, and neutralization of enemy defenses, thereby extending the reach and survivability of crewed aircraft.
The notice specifies that the platform must deliver a high level of autonomy, functioning under mission command rather than manual control.
Key requirements include VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) capability, the ability to carry payloads over 200 kilograms, and compatibility with a comprehensive support framework. The system should leverage AI-driven decision-making, digital twin simulation, synthetic environments, and meet strict data security and interoperability standards.
An industry workshop is scheduled for 21 August at the Defence BattleLab in Dorset to discuss the project with potential partners.
