Archer announces plans for UK engineering hub, hires veteran British eVTOL engineering leader

Archer Aviation today announced plans for a new UK engineering hub in South West England, a region with a long history in aerospace and defence. The company, through its newly established UK subsidiary, intends to build and grow a team in the country to support its work in the region.

Last week’s announcement from Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace highlighted the companies’ joint work in support of the British Army’s Project NYX and the Ministry of Defence’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform programme, but will also involve exploration of other opportunities at GKN Aerospace’s Isle of Wight airframe production facility. GKN Aerospace, a world leading, UK based aerospace manufacturing supplier, will be working alongside Archer and Anduril, with Archer contributing its latest advancements in eVTOL aircraft development and hybrid propulsion to meet the British Army’s operational requirements.

Today, Archer announced that one of the top British eVTOL engineering leaders, Dr. Limhi Somerville, will be joining Archer in early 2026. Somerville joins Archer from Vertical Aerospace, where he spent the last six years and most recently led the company’s engineering program. Prior to joining Vertical Aerospace, Somerville held engineering and research roles at Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Warwick.

Dr. Limhi Somerville said, “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. The opportunity to support the development of their dual-use vertical lift platform is compelling. I’m excited to get to work.”

“The UK has the talent and industrial base to be a major player in driving the next era of advanced aerospace and defence. Archer’s plans to open a UK engineering hub underscores our commitment to being an integral part of the next-generation of aerospace and defence in the country,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO. “Bringing a leader of Limhi’s caliber onto the team is critical as we look to continue to accelerate the development of our hybrid propulsion, dual-use aircraft.”

This expansion builds on recent remarks by the UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry highlighting the defence sector’s role in driving long-term economic growth. Working alongside Anduril UK and GKN, Archer plans to invest in local engineering talent, creating high skill roles aligned with the UK’s defence priorities.