Kratos’ Valkyrie UAV Completes Flight Test With F-35 Fighter Aircraft

A flight demonstration of the XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed aerial vehicle has shown that it is capable of an integrated electronic attack working with two F-35 jet fighters, according to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. 

Kratos said the live flight test by its unmanned systems unit wraps up the first phase of the U.S. Marine Corps’ program dubbed Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer-Portfolio. The test, conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida with the support of the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing, achieved all of its objectives, Kratos said Tuesday. 

During the demonstration, the Kratos UAV’s advanced electronic attack payload zeroed in on multiple targets and relayed emitter target attack coordinates, the company added. Steve Fendley, Kratos Unmanned Systems Division president, expressed excitement about the mission capability, risk mitigation and cost-effective performance that the Valkyrie demonstrated during the test.

In December, Kratos secured a $22.9 million Phase 2 contract for additional engineering and flight tests on the UAV.

The Marine Corps received in March 2023 the first of the two Valkyries it ordered for prototyping and testing in the UAV’s integration into the PAACK-P program. In July, the Air Force Research Laboratory tested the artificial intelligence algorithms installed by its Autonomous Air Combat Operations team in the UAV.

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