ARX Robotics has secured its first British Army contract, delivering UK-manufactured Gereon uncrewed ground vehicles for Recce-Strike experimentation through Task Force Rapstone.
The timing of the news is interesting: in the last 24 hours, Lord George Robertson — the former NATO head who helped author the Strategic Defence Review last year — has publicly slammed the UK government’s handling of military budget and strategy, accusing it of a “corrosive complacency” that has left the country’s security “in peril.” The government has disputed this characterisation, but anecdotally, defence startups have told Resilience Media that UK contracts and strategic conversations have all but ground to a halt for their companies.
ARX and the MoD did not disclose the value of its contract. We have reached out to both to ask and will update as we learn more.
The ARX contract, awarded through Task Force Rapstone, comes after ARX participated in testing in Kenya and the Baltics, where the Gereon successfully completed trials, including an exercise where it was successfully integrated into the kill-chain for Helsing’s HX-2 loitering munition.
The Gereon has also seen extensive use in Ukraine, perhaps known most as the most widely used Western UGV in the Ukrainian armed forces. Gereon vehicles ordered under Task Force Rapstone will initially be equipped with ISR packages, but the UGV’s modular system allows it to perform a broad mission set.
In Ukraine, Gereon vehicles have already been integrated with the Buria grenade launcher system and are employed in fire support roles, in addition to logistics, CASEVAC and ISR.
“This award marks an important step in ARX Robotics’ growing presence in the UK and the British Army’s path to integrate autonomous systems into operational capability,” said ARX CEO David Roberts.
The award also reflects a broader push to anchor defence technology manufacturing in the UK. ARX has invested £45 million in its British facilities, and is aiming to produce up to 1,800 robotic vehicles annually, a footprint that fits the government’s stated ambition to link defence procurement with industrial strategy.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP welcomed the decision: “The British Army’s adoption of autonomous ground systems is a clear signal that the UK is serious about modernising its land forces and staying ahead of our adversaries. ARX Robotics’ decision to begin manufacturing in the UK is exactly the kind of investment we want to see.”
Roberts added that uncrewed systems can deliver significant operational value at lower cost than traditional crewed platforms, while reducing risk to personnel and enabling rapid capability upgrades as technology evolves — advantages that have been demonstrated repeatedly in Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.
Task Force RAPSTONE is a British Army initiative designed to accelerate the delivery of new equipment and technology, with a particular focus on lessons learned from Ukraine. GEREON’s active deployment provides rapid, combat-proven feedback, which was a factor in its selection by RAPSTONE.
The announcement comes amid a broad expansion of UK defence-industrial capacity since 2025, as the government increasingly links defence and economic growth in its policy platform.
In addition to ARX, UAS manufacturers Tekever and Ukrspecsystems have announced major investments in UK facilities since 2025 (£400m and £200m, respectively).
The employment of UGVs in combat is rapidly expanding. In March, Ukrainian forces conducted at least 9,000 UGV missions in a single month. Earlier this week, President Zelensky announced that for the first time in history, UGVs had captured a position independently, without any infantry involvement — a milestone that is likely to accelerate procurement decisions across NATO member states.
