Airbus Defence and Space has partnered with Kratos Defense and Security Solutions to deliver an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft to the German Air Force by 2029.
Under the collaboration, the two companies will equip the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial system with an Airbus mission system. The system features a platform-agnostic architecture that integrates seamlessly with both current and future crewed and uncrewed platforms.
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“The collaboration of Kratos and Airbus, based on an existing and proven UAS platform and featuring a sovereign multi-platform mission system, will deliver crucial capabilities for our warfighters in Europe before the end of the decade,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “This partnership will help to accelerate Europe’s ability to defend itself while fostering NATO’s transatlantic ties.”
Kratos describes the XQ-58A as a stealthy drone that is changing tactical UAS technology. Built under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology program, the UAS is capable of long-range flights at high subsonic speeds. It serves as a wingman for a wide range of missions, conducting single drone operations or when carrying out a swarm strategy.
According to Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco, the Valyrie system, affordable yet formidable, was designed to be able to pair itself with manned or unmanned aircraft, or a mix of both.