Tekever opens a “strategic hub” in the US and expands its presence in the UK

Tekever has just strengthened its presence in the US with the opening of a “strategic hub” in North Carolina. This move into the world’s largest defence market comes at a time when the Portuguese drone manufacturer is expanding in the UK, with the planned opening in June of an engineering centre in Bristol, with capacity for 150 employees.

“The opening of our first office in the United States represents an important step in strengthening the support we provide to end-users and partners in the country. Being closer to the people who operate, evaluate and maintain these systems allows for closer collaboration, greater responsiveness and more effective long-term support”, says Paulo Ferro, VP of Strategic Development at Tekever.

The Portuguese drone manufacturer already had staff in the US, but is now strengthening its presence in this key market for the global defence sector with the establishment of a “strategic hub” in Fayetteville, which will provide “technical support, coordination and daily interaction with partners based in the United States”.

With this more consolidated local presence, Tekever aims to “strengthen its ability to respond to evolving operational requirements in the US market and ensure that its advanced intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue (ISR/SAR) capabilities are supported by specialist knowledge on the ground”, it explains.

Tekever was one of more than 20 Portuguese companies that took part in the Sea-Air-Space Expo and the first PT-US Defence Industry Days in the US, the national defence industry’s “first structured participation” in the United States, aimed at boosting the industry’s visibility and positioning within the world’s largest defence market. The United States has a defence budget of around one trillion dollars — one of the largest globally — and Donald Trump’s administration wants to increase the country’s defence spending by 50% as early as next year.

Until 20 May, it will be present at SOF Week in Tampa, Florida, at the NATO DIANA stand. “Our presence at SOF Week reflects that very commitment: to stay close to operational needs, engage directly with the community and continue to build relationships that will support future opportunities for collaboration”, explains Paulo Ferro.

As part of the NATO exercise Saber Strike 26, which took place in Poland, Lithuania and Finland, the company was testing, alongside the US Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the capabilities of the AR3 EVO system and its integration into frontline operational scenarios.

Strengthening presence in the UK with a new hub

The opening of a new hub in the US comes at a time when the company is strengthening its presence in the UK, a market where Tekever is implementing a five-year investment plan worth £400 million (around €470 million), with an estimated 1,000 jobs to be created. As part of this, a fourth drone production facility is set to open in Swindon later this year.

Tekever plans to open a new engineering hub in Bristol as early as June, with capacity for up to 150 people. The new centre will play “a key role in supporting the future development of autonomous capabilities for the UK and global partners in the defence and civil sectors, including the Ministry of Defence’s NYX Project, the RAF’s StormShroud capability and the UK Home Office’s operations”, the company states. “Fostering partnerships with SMEs and academic institutions in the UK will be an essential part of the centre’s mission”, it emphasises.

Together with Tekever Ukraine, where it has opened a new R&D hub, the centre will also play “a crucial role in the ongoing promotion of battlefield innovation in Ukraine and in ensuring that these lessons are transferred to the UK’s defence and technology ecosystems”.

In the UK, Tekever has been working with the RAF and the British Ministry of Defence, which has been sending the company’s drones to Ukraine to assist in its defence efforts against the Russian invasion. In April, the UK announced the dispatch of over 120,000 drones to Ukraine, with Tekever cited as one of the suppliers of this batch of equipment.

… and is participating in the NYX project for ‘drone wings’ for Apache helicopters

Tekever was also one of four companies selected by the British Ministry of Defence to support Project NYX, the British Army’s programme to develop state-of-the-art autonomous systems capable of operating alongside Apache attack helicopters.

As part of this project, the drones will act as ‘wings’ for the Apaches on a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, target acquisition, electronic warfare and support for precision strikes in contested environments, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

“The NYX Project focuses on fully autonomous drones, with Apache pilots benefiting from the information they provide, without the need to control them directly. All decisions resulting in the use of weapons will continue to be made by a human”, emphasises the Ministry of Defence.

In addition to Tekever, the project, which has a total budget of £10 million (around €11.5 million), includes Anduril Industries, BAE Systems and Thales among the finalists. “The four industrial partners have received contract offers and were selected through a competitive process to develop the autonomous technology. Their proposals include a variety of unmanned aerial systems, each offering autonomy, payloads and innovative sensors”, it adds.

Two of the “most promising” candidates will proceed to the next phase. “Up to two companies will be selected in autumn 2026 to develop prototypes. If the prototypes are successful, the aim is to have an operational version available for use by 2030”, says the Ministry of Defence.

Portugal, France and Ukraine are the markets where Tekever, which currently employs over 1,300 people, operates.