Hermeus and Anduril Are Racing to Build Autonomous High-Speed Aircraft
Anduril Industries is partnering with high-speed aircraft developer Hermeus to integrate its mission autonomy software into Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk 2 uncrewed aircraft, as the defense technology company expands the use of its Lattice software across military platforms.
Under the agreement, Anduril’s Lattice for Mission Autonomy will serve as the core software engine for mission planning and execution on the Quarterhorse Mk 2, Anduril stated in a blog post. The system is designed to allow the aircraft to respond to changing conditions in flight, coordinate with other assets and conduct complex missions alongside human warfighters.
The partnership gives Anduril another independent aircraft on which to test Lattice. Hermeus said the Quarterhorse will be the first large-scale third-party aircraft integration of Anduril’s autonomy software outside of its Fury program, allowing the technology to be tested in a high-Mach environment.
The companies are already working on the integration, with the first flight of the combined system planned for 2027. Hermeus is developing Quarterhorse with a goal of reaching speeds of up to Mach 3, according to a report from Breaking Defense.
The deal comes as Anduril has been rapidly expanding both its software and hardware footprint with the U.S. military.
Just this week, the Army awarded Anduril a $65 million production contract as part of a combined $192 million award with Palantir for the Army’s Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node, or TITAN, program. Anduril will develop ruggedized hardware for the system, which is designed to collect and distribute battlefield intelligence from terrestrial, airborne and space-based sensors.
Anduril has also begun production of its FQ-44A Fury autonomous aircraft at its Arsenal-1 manufacturing facility in Ohio. The first aircraft rolled off the production line in July, marking a major step toward scaling the company’s autonomous combat aircraft.
The company has attracted significant private capital as it scales. In May, Anduril raised $5 billion at a $61 billion valuation, more than doubling its valuation from the previous year.
The Hermeus partnership underscores Anduril’s strategy of pairing its autonomy software with independently developed military hardware, potentially allowing new aircraft and other defense systems to be deployed without requiring a single company to build the entire stack.
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