The Vortex, designated T-022, is an autonomous combat aircraft developed by MGI Defence, the engineering arm of MGI Engineering.
The platform is described as the first UK-built Autonomous Collaborative Platform of its type. It sits within the Autonomous Collaborative Platforms programme, a UK Ministry of Defence-backed effort to develop affordable, AI-supported uncrewed aircraft intended to extend the reach and lethality of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) crewed force.
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The T-022 was unveiled by MGI Defence in July 2026. It is positioned to avoid the usual trade-offs between range, speed and payload that have characterised some earlier autonomous systems.
T-022 Vortex design and features
The T-022 Vortex autonomous combat aircraft measures 11m (36.1m) in length with a 7.6m wingspan. It was developed using MGI Engineering’s Formula 1-derived rapid prototyping methods and lightweight composite expertise for frontline defence needs.
With a maximum take-off weight of 3,500kg (7,716lb), the aircraft is placed in a performance category commonly associated with fast jets.
The platform’s stated unit cost is £3m-£6m ($4m-$8m), depending on configuration, suggesting a more affordable route to fielding this type of capability at scale than relying solely on crewed aircraft.
The aircraft is capable of continued operation in contested conditions where communications are jammed or denied, using onboard AI to make decisions without a continuous link to a ground controller.
Propulsion and performance of the T-022
For propulsion, the T-022 Vortex can be fitted with a Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&W) CW 530 turbofan, a Rolls-Royce Orpheus engine, or a comparable powerplant delivering 12-16 kilonewtons of thrust.
The aircraft is designed to operate between a minimum altitude of 20m and a maximum altitude of 12,000m. It can sustain manoeuvres from -2g to +7g, and can cruise at Mach 0.71 and reach a maximum speed approaching Mach 0.85, around 1,050km/h.
The maximum operational range of the aircraft exceeds 4,000km.
T-022 Vortex payload details
The T-022 Vortex has a 1,000kg payload capacity, arranged across a 400kg internal payload bay and four external hardpoints, with two under the wings and two on the fuselage.
The payload layout supports mission-specific configurations, including sensors, weapons and jamming equipment.
Mission capabilities of the T-022
The T-022 has been developed for crewed-uncrewed teaming, or MUM-T, enabling a single crewed aircraft, such as the Typhoon or F-35, to direct several T-022 Vortex platforms as autonomous wingmen. The concept is intended to support shared sensor data, adaptation to changing mission requirements and coordinated tasking without requiring a ground operator to approve every action.
The aircraft is intended to undertake kinetic strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks, electronic warfare missions and decoy roles, with the ability to seamlessly reconfigure between sorties.
