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TIQUILA Programme Mini-Uncrewed Air Systems (MUAS) Notice

Ministry of Defence

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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22 Oct 2026 at 16:01

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence’s TIQUILA programme provides uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for field operations, supporting intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance. The requirement is for packable and man-portable mini-uncrewed aircraft systems, including ground control stations and payloads, with a systems integrator responsible for combining capability from suppliers. The systems are intended to be modular and upgradeable, using open-standard interfaces to accommodate new equipment and upgrades. The programme also covers related goods and services, through-life delivery and support, and engagement with the wider UAS market, industry and academia. The proposed contract change broadens the technical scope to include visual-line-of-sight and beyond-visual-line-of-sight systems, and aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 50 kg. Work supports UK field operations.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin UK. The Ministry of Defence is modifying the existing contract without a new competition, using a procedure without prior publication. The change is described as a non-material modification that preserves the existing systems-integrator model and pricing mechanisms. The contract was signed on 7 December 2022 and is active; its value is £129,350,000. The original contract period is 120 months, with options to extend by up to 24 months subject to Ministry of Defence approval before the original period expires, and options to vary the volume of goods and services. Evaluation used willingness to pay as the stated criterion, weighted at 100%.

This award demonstrates demand for an integrator able to deliver and sustain military UAS capability while adapting to changing operational requirements and technology. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need experience integrating packable and man-portable aircraft, common ground control stations and mission payloads, including both visual-line-of-sight and beyond-visual-line-of-sight operation. The programme favours a modular, upgradeable technical and digital architecture with open-standard interfaces, and the capacity to support the system through life. Suppliers would also need to manage a flexible supply chain, engage specialist UAS businesses, industry and academia, and enable innovation and new entrants. The established approach is led by a systems integrator, with specialist suppliers contributing to an evolving capability rather than a single fixed platform.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

TIQUILA Programme Mini-Uncrewed Air Systems (MUAS) Notice

Notice Description

The Ministry of Defence (the "Authority") intends to modify the TIQUILA contract without undertaking a new procurement procedure. This notice describes the originally advertised scope, the proposed modification and the Authority's reasons for considering that the modification is non-material under the principles established in Pressetext and applicable to modifications under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The TIQUILA Programme was advertised to deliver MUAS capability for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) in Packable and Portable loads in support of field operations. Delivery was to be undertaken by a Systems Integrator (SI), working with suppliers to meet developing demands and keep pace with emergent technology and threats. The solution was expressly described as evolving, modular and upgradeable. The SI's through-life delivery and sustainment responsibilities included: * provision of Packable MUAS and man-portable MUAV capability, using a common Ground Control Station and relevant payloads; * goods and services supporting that capability; * a modular technical and digital architecture using open-standard interfaces to enable integration of new capabilities and upgrades; * maintaining awareness of novel and emergent technology applicable to TIQUILA; and * implementing Supplier Enabling Arrangements and/or other subcontract arrangements to engage the wider UAS market, industry and academia, encourage innovation and new entrants, meet developing demands and keep pace with emergent technology and threats. The Authority proposes to broaden the contractual technical envelope so that TIQUILA can continue to procure and integrate relevant UAS capability as technology and operational demands evolve. The proposed modification will: * confirm the inclusion of VLOS and BVLOS Packable MUAS capability; * increase the platform take-off weight from a maximum of 20kg to 50kg The modification does not change the contract into a requirement for a different category of capability. The requirement remains focused on UAS capability supporting field operations through the existing SI-led model, while accommodating unanticipated technological advancement beyond the parameters originally defined. It preserves the commercial model, of engagement with the wider UAS market and new entrants through flexible supply-chain arrangements; supports the same field-operational purposes and retains the same SI-led integration, modular architecture and through-life delivery model, while responding to technological advancement and developing operational demands in the manner contemplated by the original procurement, and is therefore considered a vertical evolution of the existing UAS capability, rather than horizontal expansion. All pricing mechanisms will remain the same, and subject to the applicable contractual, approval, pricing and value-for-money controls. Accordingly, the Authority considers that the proposed change is a permissible non-material modification and may be made without commencing a new procurement procedure. The Authority is publishing this notice voluntarily to provide transparency regarding the proposed modification

Options: The TIQUILA contract contains options to extend the duration of the contract beyond the 120 month period and / or to vary the volume of goods and services to be delivered. Options to extend will be up to a maximum of 24 months subject to the approval of the Authority prior to the expiry of the 120 month period.

Procurement Information

The Ministry of Defence (the "Authority") intends to modify the TIQUILA contract without undertaking a new procurement procedure. This notice describes the originally advertised scope, the proposed modification and the Authority's reasons for considering that the modification is non-material under the principles established in Pressetext and applicable to modifications under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078e39
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100131-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

35613000 - Unmanned aerial vehicles

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£129,350,000 £100M-£1B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

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
BRISTOL
Postcode
Not specified
Postcode Area
Not specified
Country
Not specified
Major Region (ITL 1)
Not specified
Basic Region (ITL 2)
Not specified
Small Region (ITL 3)
Not specified
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Not specified
Electoral Ward
Not specified
Westminster Constituency
Not specified

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Lockheed Martin UK Limited

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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