New autonomous aircraft in development for Marines

DefenseNews: New versions of the Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie drone will be manufactured for the U.S. Marine Corps after the service made the drone a new program of record, Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco told investors during a phone call last week.

A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, front, conducts a test flight with two Air Force F-35A Lightning II.

The Valkyrie drone, an unmanned aircraft known for its versatility and many warfighting capabilities, has been flying since 2019 and until this point has been used by the U.S. Air Force and Marines for testing and evaluation.

“In Kratos’ tactical drone business, it was recently reported that both the U.S. Marine Corps and the Office of the Secretary of Defense stated that the Valkyrie is becoming a program of record and will be the first CCA [Collaborative Combat Aircraft] in production and fielded for the Marines,” DeMarco said.

Marines have tested the Valkyrie’s ability to provide targeting data from the air and conduct electronic warfare. Last December, the drone autonomously provided intelligence data to Marine Corps pilots, who exercised control over multiple drones at once.

The move by the Marine Corps to adopt the Valkyrie means new variations of the drone will move into production.

In addition to producing the drone for the U.S. military, the company will also manufacture a European version to be supplied to the German Air Force.

The Valkyrie is low-cost, lightweight, and flexible, making it a UAV suitable for a wide array of missions. The drone can fly long range at high subsonic speeds and drop bombs, as well as fly stealth surveillance missions. It can be manufactured quickly and can fly in swarms to augment U.S. airpower.

Last month, two XQ-58A Valkyrie drones flew in the “loyal wingman” role with U.S. fighter pilots in an exercise that the Air Force called “a major leap in human-machine teaming.”

During the exercise, fighter pilots wielded the drones seamlessly while conducting combat maneuvers.