The GBP 45 million investment will fund a new manufacturing and research centre, expected to create 90 high-skilled jobs over the next 30 months. The site will produce up to 1,800 autonomous unmanned systems per year, which are already in use in Ukraine and along NATO’s eastern flank.
ARX is building a predominantly UK-based supply chain, working with British small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to integrate homegrown sensor, effector and enabler technologies into its modular systems. These ground drones are capable of performing a variety of roles including reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and combat support.
Marc Wietfeld, CEO of ARX Robotics, said: “By setting up a production facility in the United Kingdom, with a predominantly British supply chain, we are not only supporting the UK economy but also contributing meaningfully to the long-term technological sovereignty of both the UK and Europe in an increasingly volatile and fast-moving world.” He added: “Building on our operations in Germany and Ukraine, this is about strengthening European resilience, through technological sovereignty, scalable autonomy, and the modernization of land forces.”
ARX’s systems are currently undergoing field tests with the British Armed Forces to align with UK operational requirements and support plans to enhance military capabilities using AI and autonomous technologies. The company will also provide local training, maintenance and technical support tailored to British military needs.
Defence Secretary John Healey welcomed the announcement, saying: “ARX is driving defence-tech innovation and I warmly welcome their GPB 45 million investment into the UK which will create highly skilled jobs and support European security.” He continued: “This government is determined to make the UK a defence industrial superpower – supporting good jobs and driving growth as part of the Plan for Change.”
ARX’s UK operation will be led by defence veteran David Roberts as CEO of ARX UK, supported by a team of military and defence technology experts. Roberts stated: “ARX’s operationally proven autonomous vehicles deliver an immediate capability boost for the UK Armed Forces, while simultaneously providing a multi-modular integration platform in partnership with British companies.”
The company’s proprietary Mithra operating system and Core platform enable AI-driven remote control of existing military vehicles, enhancing battlefield situational awareness and increasing the efficiency of defence operations. These systems are designed to scale across new and legacy platforms to meet the evolving needs of modern armed forces.
John Ridge, Chief Adoption Officer at the NATO Innovation Fund, which backs ARX, said: “We are proud to be backing ARX Robotics, one of Europe’s most impressive autonomous systems companies. It is particularly reassuring to see ARX’s willingness to invest in building manufacturing capacity across Europe, creating more resilient supply chains and improving NATO’s ability to scale production.”
This expansion reflects growing demand for cost-effective, ready-to-deploy solutions in military modernisation, as countries seek to enhance capabilities under budgetary constraints. ARX’s investment also aligns with UK policy to support defence innovation and increase SME participation in national defence supply chains.
Looking ahead, ARX plans to expand its UK-based R&D to develop next-generation autonomous systems tailored to British operational needs. The initiative underscores the company’s long-term commitment to UK-EU defence collaboration and the strategic modernisation of European armed forces.
