Airbus and Kratos Defense announced Monday that their U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft has completed its first flight in Europe. The test took place at a facility in Northern Europe and included a runway-independent, rocket-assisted takeoff, maneuvers at various altitudes and speeds up to Mach 0.8, according to Airbus.
Flight Test
The aircraft also demonstrated in-flight mission adjustments during the test. The companies said the flight met its planned objectives and will be followed by additional testing involving Airbus’ Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system. The system is designed to coordinate autonomous aircraft operations and support missions alongside crewed fighters.
“First flights typically include plenty of learning opportunities, but with the maturity of the Valkyrie system and the well-integrated Airbus and Kratos team, this flight was an amazing success,” Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco said in a company statement.
European Combat Aircraft Program
The MARS system uses AI-assisted software to manage autonomous missions while retaining human oversight of critical decisions. Airbus plans to integrate the system into the Valkyrie for operations alongside aircraft such as the Eurofighter. The companies are targeting a combat-ready European configuration by 2029.
The U740 measures approximately 30 feet long and has a wingspan of 27 feet. It has a reported range exceeding 3,000 miles and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. The aircraft is based on the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie, which has undergone autonomous flight testing with the U.S. Air Force. The European program builds on that platform through the integration of Airbus’ mission-management technology.
0 replies