Developed by Airbus and Kratos, the U740 Valkyrie reached Mach 0.8 during its first flight in Europe. The two companies aim to turn the system into a combat-ready CCA by 2029.
The U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat air vehicle, developed by Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, completed its first flight in Europe at a test facility in Northern Europe. During the flight, runway-independent rocket-assisted launch, manoeuvres at different altitudes and speeds, and in-flight mission plan changes were carried out, with all objectives achieved.
The U740 Valkyrie reportedly reached Mach 0.8 while manoeuvring at different altitudes and speeds following a runway-independent, rocket-assisted launch. During the flight conducted at a test facility in Northern Europe, mission plan changes were also implemented. In the next phase, more advanced flight tests are planned using Airbus’ Multi-Platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system.
Mission Coordination with MARS
MARS is described as a system that enables the Valkyrie to conduct missions with a higher degree of autonomy. Positioned as the aircraft’s “European brain”, MARS enables German or European sovereignty by providing full control over software, mission applications, data and system hardware. The AI-assisted system enables autonomous mission execution and coordination among mission groups. Through a strict control hierarchy, humans remain in the loop, ensuring that all critical decisions comply with rules of engagement as well as ethical and legal standards.
The Valkyrie measures approximately 9.1 metres in length and has a wingspan of 8.2 metres, a range of more than 5,000 kilometres and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. The aircraft also features an internal weapons bay and underwing payload stations. The U740 Valkyrie has a maximum take-off weight of approximately three tonnes. The system can conduct autonomous missions and is also being developed to operate under the command of crewed combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter, carrying out high-risk missions and protecting crewed platforms.
Supporting the Eurofighter with Valkyrie
Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn stated that the aim is to combine Kratos’ Valkyrie platform, which has “program of record” status, with Airbus’ sovereign European mission system to deliver a combat-ready CCA system by the end of the decade. Schoellhorn said the Valkyrie would increase the range, firepower and survivability of crewed combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter, while its rail-launch capability would provide operational resilience and conventional runway take-off and landing would remain an option.
Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco stated that first flights usually provide significant learning opportunities, but the flight was completed successfully thanks to the maturity of the Valkyrie system and the integration of the Airbus-Kratos team.
Following the U740 Valkyrie’s first flight in Europe, Airbus and Kratos plan to develop the system into a combat-ready CCA solution for the operational requirements of Germany and other European countries by 2029.
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Source: C4Defence – Airbus
