Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) said Tuesday it will establish a new engineering hub in South West England and hire a senior British eVTOL engineering leader, expanding its presence in the U.K.'s aerospace and defence sector.
U.K. Defence Collaboration
The move follows last week's announcement that Anduril UK, Archer and GKN Aerospace entered into a teaming agreement to support work with the British Army and the Ministry of Defence.
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 will also explore additional opportunities at GKN Aerospace's Isle of Wight airframe production facility.
GKN Aerospace, a U.K.-based global aerospace manufacturer, will work alongside Archer and Anduril, with Archer contributing its eVTOL aircraft development expertise and hybrid propulsion technologies to meet British Army operational requirements.
New Engineering Hub In South West England
To support its work in the U.K. and internationally, Archer will launch a new engineering hub through its newly formed subsidiary, Archer Aviation UK Limited.
The company said it plans to build and grow a local engineering team in South West England, a region with a long history in aerospace and defence.
Archer also announced that Dr. Limhi Somerville will join the company in early 2026. Somerville joins from Vertical Aerospace (NYSE:EVTL), where he spent six years and most recently led the company's engineering program.
His previous 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."
Alignment With U.K. Defence Priorities
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said the expansion reflects the U.K.'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 U.K.'s Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry highlighting the defence sector's role in long-term economic growth.
ACHR Price Action: Archer Aviation shares were up 0.06% at $7.83 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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