Airbus and Kratos have completed the first flight in Europe of the U740 Valkyrie, an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft the companies aim to make combat-ready by 2029.
The collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) took off from a test facility in Northern Europe and achieved all flight objectives, Airbus said, including a runway-independent, rocket-assisted take-off, maneuvers at various altitudes at speeds up to Mach 0.8, and in-flight mission adjustments.
The U740 is a software-modified version of the XQ-58A Valkyrie, which was first flown by Kratos at the Yuma Training Grounds in Arizona on March 5, 2019.
Airbus and Krataos will now flight test that software, called the Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system. Airbus described MARS as the aircraft’s “European brain” and said it gives Germany and other European users sovereign control over software, mission applications, data and hardware.
MARS uses AI-enhanced software to run missions autonomously and coordinate entire mission groups, while a control hierarchy keeps a human on the loop for critical decisions.
Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said, “In an increasingly complex and contested threat environment, air forces require affordable combat mass. By pairing Kratos’ proven airframe as a ‘program of record’ with Airbus’ sovereign European mission system, we are able to offer a robust, sovereign, affordable, and combat-ready CCA system by the end of the decade.”
“The Valkyrie will also play a critical role in enhancing crewed combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter with extended range, firepower, and survivability. The aircraft design enables operational resilience through its rail launch capability, while offering conventional, runway based, take-off and landing as an option,” he added.
The Valkyrie is 30ft (9.1m) long with a 27ft (8.2m) wingspan, an internal weapons bay and external payload stations under the wings. It has a maximum take-off weight of approximately 6,600lb (3,000kg), a range exceeding 3,100 miles (5,000km) and a service ceiling of 45,000ft (13,700m).
Airbus said in March that it was preparing the first two Valkyries acquired from Kratos at Manching, Germany, and is working to offer the German Air Force an operational system by 2029.
It faces competition for that requirement. Rheinmetall and Boeing are offering the German Air Force the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, which has completed more than 150 flights since 2021, also targeting deployment by 2029.
In the US, General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A have both been cleared for production, according to Defense News, with the US Air Force saying it expects to buy more than 150 combat-capable CCAs by the end of the decade.
Elsewhere in Europe, BAE Systems unveiled its Brontanax in July, with flight trials planned for the second half of 2027. Saab revealed its A3-001 concept in August and plans to fly uncrewed demonstrators before 2030.
