BAE Systems.

BAE Systems will develop a new Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (Ucav) technical demonstrator under a 124 million [pounds sterling] contract from the British Ministry of Defence. The 'Project Taranis' drone, named after the Celtic god of thunder, will be about the size of a BAE Systems Hawk and, at eight tonnes, the autonomous stealth plane will be built by BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Qinetiq and Smiths Aerospace. The Taranis will be designed for autonomous reconnaissance and attack missions, and ground testing is scheduled for early 2009.