Planning

715675477 RFI Industry VANQUISH

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Planning

06 Nov 2025 at 16:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

30 Oct 2025 at 07:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 Oct 2025 at 06:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

16 Oct 2025 at 14:41

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

03 Oct 2025 at 15:20

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

03 Oct 2025 at 11:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the United Kingdom is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process related to its Project VANQUISH. This project involves a Request for Information (RFI) for a technical demonstration of a Fixed Wing Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform (FW STOL ACP), which is crucial for the Royal Navy's Hybrid Air Wing development. The technical demonstration is scheduled to occur by the end of 2026, with potential contract dates from April 2026 to December 2027. The procurement falls under the goods category, specifically focusing on uncrewed aerial systems and associated payloads. Interested parties should submit responses by 14th November 2025, and the overall process is set against a backdrop of continually evolving maritime aviation requirements.

This procurement process offers significant opportunities for businesses specialised in military aviation technology, particularly those with capabilities pertaining to unmanned aerial systems. Companies with innovative solutions for autonomous platforms that can operate on aircraft carriers without traditional launch and recovery systems stand to benefit greatly. SMEs with expertise in high-speed, jet turbine-powered vehicles capable of performing a range of maritime missions, including ISR and air-to-air refuelling, could find this tender particularly promising. By participating in this market engagement, businesses have the potential to influence future defence requirements and secure valuable contracts in the UK's defence sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

715675477 RFI Industry VANQUISH

Notice Description

RFI for a concept of demonstration for a Fixed Wing Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform.

Planning Information

06/11/2025 UPDATE FOR PROSPECTIVE RESPONDERS Please note that the RFI 715675477 Amendment 5 is being issued to address a discrepancy in the due date specified in the original Request for Information. Please be advised that the deadline for all responses has been officially extended. The new definitive closing deadline for the RFI submission via the Microsoft Form is 14th November 2025 at 17:00 hrs. All other terms and conditions of the Original RFI remain unchanged. We apologise for any confusion or inconvenience this discrepancy may have caused and appreciate you continued interest and efforts. 30/10/2025 UPDATE FOR POTENTIAL BIDDERS Please note that the CQ response log for this RFI has been updated and is a final document. Here is the link: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/toolkit/negotiation/tnd/tenderOpportunity.do?tenderCode=tender_508080&_ncp=1761810436209.1397709-1#:~:text=https%3A//contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail%3FopportunityId%3D60349 21/10/2025 UPDATE FOR POTENTIAL BIDDERS Please note the CQ Log for this RFI has been updated, here is the link: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60349 We reiterate that the Engagement Deadline is the 7th November and not 14th November. 16/10/2025 UPDATE FOR POTENTIAL BIDDERS Link to Clarification Questions/Answers Log: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60349 Please note that the Engagement Deadline is the 7th November and not 14th November. The Microsoft Form will no longer accept responses after the 7th November. RFI INDUSTRY – VANQUISH Technical Demonstration Description As part of the route to the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Air Wing, Project VANQUISH seeks to deliver a technical demonstration at sea of an attritable (Tier 2) Fixed Wing Short Take Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platform (FW STOL ACP); nominal target date by the end of 2026, with options for delivery within an 18 month window from the target date also considered. The air vehicle must be able to embark and operate autonomously from a Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Aircraft Carrier and is to be jet turbine powered and capable of high subsonic speed. It should be able to launch and recover to QEC without Catapults or Arrested Recovery Systems and with a credible payload and endurance. There must be an exploitation pathway to the delivery of a wide range of maritime mission sets in support of UK Carrier Strike in due course (ISR/Strike/Air-Air Refuelling), to compliment F35B LIGHTNING, as part of QEC and its Carrier Air Wing.  Successful completion of a technical demonstration will inform future capability development and procurement options. This RFI is separate to, but coherent with, existing CSAEW RFI’s dated 9th & 22nd Apr 2025 and will aid understanding of cross cutting technologies which may assist both lines of development. It must be aligned with the principles of Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATX) and build on previous trials and demonstrations of ACPs from QEC.  To drive delivery of an optimal system, the MOD is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to industry. The outcome of this RFI will inform the capability of the industrial base, in support this requirement. The implementation options in this RFI are not prescribed and we are interested in views from all interested parties on the best possible solution. Please respond by completing the Microsoft Form in the link below by 17:00 on the 7 November 2025. Link to RFI response form: https://forms.office.com/e/8Npvind1de Please send any clarification questions about this market engagement exercise to Taiye.adeboye100@mod.gov.uk Latest date to receive CQs is 24th October 2025 midday. Where relevant and appropriate, this market engagement event may be followed by further engagement exercise which will be notified through normal channels (e.g. Defence Sourcing Portal, Find a Tender). For the avoidance of doubt, this notice is not informing the market of an imminent procurement. All costs pertaining to the completion of this response are to be borne by the responders. Please note, procurement dates and values in this notice are subject to governance and should not be viewed as a firm commitment. This RFI is purely to gain market knowledge and is not the launch of a new procurement. Pricing and timelines will be refined through market engagement, at this stage a cost of not less than £10m and a contract start date of between Jan and Apr 2026 is envisaged. Completion of this technical demonstration will result in the data and evidence generated being used to inform the maritime requirement for the prospective procurement of a FW ACP capability from the early 2030s. Total value (estimated) £10,000,000 excluding VAT £12,000,000 including VAT Above the relevant threshold Contract dates (estimated) 1 Apr 2026 to 29 Dec 2027 20 months Main procurement category Goods / Service CPV classifications Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and associated payloads Contract locations UK - United Kingdom Engagement Engagement deadline 14 Nov 25

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a7d0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071799-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

35613000 - Unmanned aerial vehicles

73410000 - Military research and technology

73435000 - Test and evaluation of military aircrafts, missiles and spacecrafts

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Nov 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
12 Jan 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
29 Apr 2026 - 20 Dec 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WHITEHALL
Postcode
SW1A 2EU
Post Town
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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