TEKEVER has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to deliver CORVUS, the British Army’s new surveillance capability based on the AR5 autonomous system.
Under the programme, the British Army will use TEKEVER’s AR5 system through a contract worth up to £400 million over ten years. The programme is expected to support and create hundreds of highly skilled jobs across TEKEVER’s UK operations, contributing to the country’s defence and technology sector.
CORVUS has been selected to replace the Army’s Watchkeeper capability. The AR5 offers increased endurance, sensor capability and reliability, while carrying up to 50 kg of surveillance payloads, including cameras and other sensors.
The system will provide persistent surveillance and reconnaissance through continuous intelligence gathering. It is designed to deliver real-time information to support battlefield decision-making and help protect British forces.
TEKEVER said CORVUS is intended to provide more than a new surveillance platform, combining an operationally proven system with continuous capability development. The programme will allow new technologies and lessons from battlefield operations to be incorporated throughout the system’s service life.
The programme builds on TEKEVER’s growing involvement as a long-term capability partner to the UK and follows the company’s investment in sovereign manufacturing, engineering and operational support across Britain through its £400 million OVERMATCH strategic investment programme.
Production of the AR5 will be centred at TEKEVER’s new manufacturing facility in Swindon, supported by the company’s UK industrial operations, including engineering facilities in Bristol and Southampton and training, testing and evaluation activities in West Wales.
TEKEVER will also lead a consortium of UK small and medium-sized enterprises supporting the programme and creating and sustaining additional jobs across the country. Subject to contract signature and final approvals, CORVUS is expected to begin entering service later this year and will be supported by TEKEVER for an initial period of at least five years, with options for an extension.
The AR5 also draws on TEKEVER’s operational experience in Ukraine, where the company says its autonomous systems have accumulated more than 50,000 operational flight hours since 2022. TEKEVER said this experience supports its approach to rapidly developing capabilities and adapting systems to changing operational requirements.
Ricardo Mendes, CEO of TEKEVER, said CORVUS brings together operational experience, AI-enabled autonomy and sovereign industrial capability in a programme designed to evolve throughout its service life.
Karl Brew, Managing Director at TEKEVER, said CORVUS represents a significant development in the delivery of autonomous technology to the British Army. He said the programme is focused on establishing and sustaining sovereign capability while maintaining a continuous cycle of capability development.
