Bristol-based robotics company Q5D Technologies has signed a partnership with US-based Molrix to supply three automated wire harness production cells to the United States Army, in a move that highlights growing demand for automated production systems in defence manufacturing and sustainment.
Under the 20-month agreement, the systems will be deployed to address bottlenecks in wire harness production, one of the most labour-intensive stages in the assembly of electronic and unmanned systems. The companies said the technology is designed to speed up both manufacturing and repair cycles, particularly in environments where designs change frequently and throughput demands are rising.
The first system is scheduled for delivery in August 2026 to support the Army’s SkyFoundry drone production initiative, with two further units due in September 2026 for installation at Tobyhanna Army Depot, a key US Army sustainment facility responsible for the repair and overhaul of electronic systems.
SkyFoundry is part of a broader US Army effort to scale production of small unmanned aerial systems, with targets of 10,000 drones per month in the near term and longer-term ambitions of up to one million units annually. The initiative reflects a wider push within defence procurement towards faster, more distributed manufacturing and improved domestic supply chain resilience.
Molrix, which will act as prime contractor, will oversee installation and operational support of the systems within Army facilities. The companies argue that automating wire harness installation, traditionally a manual bottleneck, could materially reduce turnaround times for both production and depot-level maintenance.
“Modern defence increasingly depends on the ability to manufacture, repair and adapt systems quickly,” said Stephen Bennington, chief executive of Q5D Technologies. He added that the systems are intended to improve scalability across rapidly evolving production environments.
The deal reflects a broader trend towards integrating advanced robotics into defence industrial bases, as militaries seek to increase production agility and reduce dependence on fragmented supply chains.
