FARNBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 20, 2026--
Anduril and Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) today unveiled their jointly-developed autonomous VTOL aircraft platform, built to serve both defense and commercial applications. Anduril showcased the defense variant, Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft specifically designed to multiply the combat power of current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft.
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Pictured: Thunder, the Defense Variant of Anduril and Archer’s Jointly-Developed Aircraft Platform
Together, the two companies have built what they believe to be a step change in vertical lift: a new class of autonomous aircraft with the speed, range, payload and operating cost that defense and commercial missions demand. Archer will announce its first commercial partners for the platform later this week.
Thunder builds on a dual-use platform developed by Archer and Anduril, bringing the commercial VTOL sector's rapid innovation in electric propulsion and rotor design directly into a clean sheet configuration.
A series hybrid-electric powertrain enables the aircraft to achieve significant range and endurance, while still maintaining the necessary precision to closely optimize power through the full range of flight conditions. Meanwhile, dual tiltrotors vary rotor RPM to maintain efficiency across flight regimes, reducing power demand and fuel burn in cruise and minimizing acoustic signature to enhance survivability during low-altitude ingress.
The platform’s tiltrotor configuration combines vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) with efficient wingborne cruise, enabling runway-independent operations from austere locations without the range constraints of traditional rotorcraft.
Anduril and Archer have configured the dual-use platform to bring modular, heavy payloads to an array of commercial and defense applications. It leverages years of development and flight testing on air taxis, highlighting Archer’s proven ability to rapidly design, manufacture and fly advanced VTOL aircraft platforms.
“From raw performance to producibility, harnessing the best technologies from the commercial eVTOL market for defense is central to how Thunder will deliver operational value to our customers. The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we’ve built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability,” said Shane Arnott, SVP of Maneuver Dominance at Anduril.
“This mission required a clean sheet design, built from the ground up to meet the needs of modern commercial and defense applications. We couldn’t simply tweak our existing aircraft. Instead, we took a bold first principles approach alongside Anduril to develop what we believe is the most sophisticated vertical lift aircraft ever made,” said Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer.
The team has already completed multiple test flights with full-scale surrogate aircraft, a critical step towards proving out the systems that will be central to Thunder’s performance. Thunder’s first flight is planned for 2027.
About Archer
Archer builds the aircraft and core technologies that will define the next era of flight for aerospace.
Source: Archer Aviation
Text: ArcherIR
Archer Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Archer's future business plans, expectations, and opportunities. These statements include those regarding design and target specifications of its aircraft; timing of Archer's development, commercialization, and certification of its aircraft; development of its planned lines of business, products, and opportunities; and anticipated benefits of collaborations with third parties. Forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual results due to a variety of factors. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted are more fully detailed in Archer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, available at investors.archer.com and at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that Archer believes to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. Archer undertakes no obligation to update these statements as a result of new information or future events.
Pictured: The Commercial Variant of Anduril and Archer’s Jointly-Developed Aircraft Platform
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 21, 2026--
Houston-based Americana Partners, an independent wealth management firm with over $11.5 * billion in total client assets, today announced a new division focused on the sports and entertainment industries, tapping Associate Vice President Ben Davidson to lead the wealth management venture.
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The new division will serve athletes, entertainers, creators, agents, and coaches through a team of former athletes, entertainment executives, and financial professionals with decades of industry experience. Americana is strategically positioned in the nation's premier sports and entertainment markets through its offices in Beverly Hills and Nashville, complementing its Houston headquarters. The firm will provide specialized guidance in income diversification, brand protection, intellectual property strategies, tax planning across multiple revenue streams, and investment management for rapidly growing wealth.
“The financial lives of athletes, entertainers, and creators are often more complex than people realize,” said Ben Davidson, Associate Vice President at Americana Partners. “Our goal is to support clients as they navigate important financial decisions during periods of opportunity, build a long-term financial foundation beyond their careers in the spotlight, and surround them with a trusted network of advisors, relationships, and resources.”
To launch the new division, Americana Partners hosted its inaugural Americana Cup at Congaree Golf Course in South Carolina on May 28-31, 2026. The tournament brought together Hall of Fame athletes, entertainment executives, creators, and financial leaders for a premier golf event focused on relationship-building, business development, and philanthropy. Congaree Golf Club is the world’s first philanthropic course, with the Congaree Foundation creating opportunities and fostering education for local and global youth through the game of golf.
“Our inaugural Americana Cup marks an exciting milestone as we expand our commitment to serving clients across the sports and entertainment industries,” said Jason Fertitta, Chief Executive Officer of Americana Partners. “This event reflects our approach to building meaningful relationships and understanding the unique needs of the individuals we serve. By bringing together leaders across sports, entertainment, and finance, we’re creating opportunities to connect, collaborate, and deliver greater value to our clients.”
Through its new division, Americana Partners helps athletes manage earnings throughout relatively short career windows, navigate complex contracts, and develop long-term wealth strategies that extend well beyond their playing days. Services include investment strategies that work with unique earning timelines, confidential wealth management, career transition and retirement planning, and access to investment opportunities made available through the firm’s platform, where appropriate. Entertainment professionals can expect advice on cash flow management for unpredictable income, royalty and intellectual property optimization, industry-specific tax planning, and wealth building strategies designed to support long-term financial objectives.
For content creators and digital entrepreneurs building a media business, Americana understands the importance of diversifying income sources beyond one platform, protecting and growing the value of what each client has built, creating multiple revenue streams, and helping creators develop long-term financial plans beyond periods of rapid business growth. The firm assists with income diversification, brand protection and intellectual property strategies, tax planning for multiple revenue sources, and investment guidance.
About Americana Partners
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Houston, Americana Partners is an independent wealth advisory firm working with a select network of families and individuals to help them simplify the management of their wealth. The firm offers wealth advisory and family office services, including alternative and traditional investment solutions. Americana serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients across the United States, with a division serving ultra-high-net-worth Latin American clients. The company celebrated its seventh-year anniversary in April 2026, having grown rapidly since its launch in 2019 to now manage over $11.5 billion in assets. Free from most of the constraints of corporate ownership, Americana is empowered to leverage support from Dynasty Financial Partners and other industry experts.
To learn more, visit www.americanapartners.com. Follow along on LinkedIn or Instagram.
RIA is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
*Total Client Assets include both Regulatory Assets Under Management (RAUM), as reported in our Form ADV, and Assets Under Advisement (AUA), which are not included in RAUM.
Ben Davidson, Associate Vice President
