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British Army to Convert Retired Warrior Vehicles Into Autonomous Ground Systems
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
The British Army plans to repurpose a number of its Warrior infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) into remotely operated and eventually autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).
The move comes as the Warrior, in service since 1987, is gradually being phased out in favor of the wheeled Boxer and tracked Ajax platforms.
According to UK Defence Journal on August 22, the initiative is part of the Ministry of Defense’s ATILLA program, which aims to reduce risks and accelerate the future acquisition of modular, heavy-payload UGVs.
Under Project ATTILA, the British Army is looking to build upon the WEEVIL demonstrator and acquire "up to 6" remotely operated WARRIORs reconfigured for breaching; ahead of further development and iteration towards Autonomy (Level 4) and wider applications of heavy UGVs. pic.twitter.com/cfM8Zwt7ZJ
— Gabriele Molinelli (@Gabriel64869839) August 21, 2025
The program will initially procure up to six optionally crewed systems based on the Warrior platform. In a second phase, these will transition toward fully autonomous operation, focusing on tasks such as breaching minefields.
The decision follows earlier demonstrations by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), which unveiled the “Weevil” prototype in April. Built on a Warrior chassis, the system can be remotely operated by a single engineer from several kilometers away using cameras, sensors, and a ruggedized tablet.
The Ministry of Defense had previously ruled out transferring decommissioned Warriors to Ukraine, citing logistical burdens and limited operational value. A public petition in the UK had called for sending surplus vehicles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but London instead opted to retain them for conversion.
The ATILLA contract is valued at £12 million (approximately $16.2 million) and scheduled to run from January 2026 to March 2028, with an option for extension.
For Ukraine, the decision highlights both the scale of demand for armored vehicles and the broader challenge of securing Western platforms that are no longer in frontline service but could still play a role.
While Kyiv continues to receive other types of military aid, the UK has signaled that Warriors will serve domestic modernization priorities rather than be transferred abroad.
Analysts suggest the lessons learned from the conversion could shape the design of a new generation of purpose-built unmanned platforms and mark the beginning of a broader shift in how the UK approaches high-risk battlefield missions.
Earlier, the UK extended Operation Interflex—its major training program for Ukrainian troops—through 2026, with over 50,000 soldiers already trained.
According to Defense Secretary John Healey, the mission has evolved to include leadership and instructor courses, while the UK also committed to co-financing Ukraine’s domestic production of air defense systems and long-range weapons.
