Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR) announced Tuesday it's planting roots in the UK with a new engineering hub in South West England and a notable hire from a competitor. The move signals the company is serious about its growing defense partnerships across the Atlantic.
Defense Deals Drive UK Expansion
The expansion comes on the heels of last week's announcement that Anduril UK, Archer, and GKN Aerospace have teamed up to work with the British Army and the Ministry of Defence. This isn't just a handshake agreement—the collaboration is initially focused on the British Army's Project NYX and the Ministry of Defence's Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform program.
The companies are also exploring additional opportunities at GKN Aerospace's Isle of Wight airframe production facility. GKN Aerospace, a UK-based global aerospace manufacturer, will work alongside Archer and Anduril, with Archer bringing its eVTOL aircraft development expertise and hybrid propulsion technologies to meet British Army operational requirements.
Building a Local Engineering Team
To support its UK and international work, Archer is launching the new engineering hub through a newly formed subsidiary called Archer Aviation UK Limited. The company plans to build and grow a local engineering team in South West England, a region with a deep history in aerospace and defense manufacturing.
The company also announced that Dr. Limhi Somerville will join Archer in early 2026. Somerville is coming from Vertical Aerospace (EVTL), where he spent six years and most recently led the company's engineering program. Before that, his experience includes engineering and research roles at Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Warwick.
"Archer is pairing realistic innovation with the capital, manufacturing capabilities, and strategic partnerships required to actually deliver next-generation aerospace and defence technologies at scale," Somerville said. "The opportunity to support the development of their dual-use vertical lift platform is compelling. I'm excited to get to work."
Why the UK Makes Sense
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said the expansion reflects the UK's strong aerospace talent base and industrial capabilities. "The U.K. has the talent and industrial base to be a major player in driving the next era of advanced aerospace and defence," Goldstein said, adding that hiring Somerville is critical as Archer accelerates development of its hybrid-propulsion, dual-use aircraft.
The expansion follows recent remarks by the UK's Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry highlighting the defense sector's role in long-term economic growth. For Archer, establishing a foothold in the UK positions the company closer to both talent and potential government customers as it develops aircraft that can serve both commercial and military applications.
ACHR Price Action: Archer Aviation shares were up 0.06% at $7.83 at the time of publication on Tuesday.