Anduril Industries, one of the leading American defense start-ups, is planning to establish a drone manufacturing facility in the UK, further expanding its operations beyond its $1 billion factory in Ohio. The new plant is expected to serve as the company’s European base, supporting its growth in the defense sector, where it specializes in autonomous systems and AI-driven technologies. Anduril’s systems are designed for military and government applications, with its cutting-edge products playing a key role in modern warfare.
In addition to this expansion, the UK government has already shown interest in Anduril’s capabilities. Recently, Anduril UK secured a £30 million contract to provide loitering munitions—Altius 600m and Altius 700m drones—for Ukraine, demonstrating the company’s growing presence in the European defense market. The drones are equipped with the ability to fly for extended periods before identifying a target and crashing into it, releasing an explosive warhead.
Founded by Palmer Luckey, the inventor of the Oculus VR headset, Anduril raised $1.5 billion last year, bringing its valuation to $14 billion. Now, according to The Times UK, the company is in talks for a new funding round that could increase its value to $28 billion, backed by a major investment from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund. The new UK facility would be capable of conducting both research and development, similar to Anduril’s “hyperscale” Arsenal-1 factory in Ohio, and is expected to be located in either the northwest of England or the Oxford-Cambridge area.
This move is a significant step in Anduril’s commitment to providing sovereign defense capabilities in the UK and Europe, as highlighted by a company spokesperson. However, due to commercial sensitivities, further details about the factory’s location and operations are not yet disclosed.
