Germany-based Airbus Defence and Space has teamed with US firm Kratos to offer the latter’s XQ-58A Valkyrie combat drone to the German Air Force by 2029.
In development since 2019, the XQ-58A is designed to deliver kinetic and non-kinetic effects in autonomous missions or fly alongside a crewed platform as a “loyal wingman.”
The joint offer to Germany will feature a platform-agnostic Airbus mission system.
“In the given disruptive geopolitical context, our customers have expressed an urgent demand for both attritable and non-attritable Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA),” CEO of Airbus Defence and Space Mike Schoellhorn said.
“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.
This partnership will help to accelerate Europe’s ability to defend itself while fostering NATO’s transatlantic ties.”
The development follows reports that the German Air Force is looking to train personnel in manned-unmanned teaming ahead of the Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS), which includes a next-gen manned fighter jet and a collaborative combat aircraft.
The NGWS is the core of the multi-national Future Combat Air System (FCAS), including France, Germany, and Spain.
Airbus reportedly plans to offer the XQ-58A as a “learning vehicle” to help the German Air Force train on manned-unmanned teaming.
The platform’s reported cost is under 10 million euros ($11.59 million), and it is capable of flying 3,000 miles (4,282 kilometers) at up to 45,000 feet (13,716 meters).
“We have designed the Valkyrie system to be an affordable and formidable CCA paired in collaborative fashion with manned aircraft, a team of uncrewed aircraft, or a mix of both,” CEO of Kratos Eric DeMarco said.
“Based on Valkyrie’s proven flight capability, first demonstrated in 2019, and the many mission systems, autonomy systems, and mission scenarios tested with the system over time, we’re excited about our partnership with Airbus which will result again in a first to market Valkyrie variant, now ‘tuned’ for the European mission.”
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