Airbus Partners with Kratos to Deploy Valkyrie Combat Drones Across Europe

Key Highlights

• Two Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie autonomous combat drones are being outfitted at Airbus’s Manching, Germany location for maiden flights with European mission systems
• Initial test flights are scheduled for late 2026, with full operational capability planned for the German Air Force in 2029
• The Valkyries will feature Airbus’s MARS (Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure) platform, incorporating AI-driven coordination between crewed and uncrewed aircraft
• Collaboration between Airbus and Rafael will enhance the Eurofighter’s Litening 5 targeting pod, enabling it to serve as a control platform for drone operations
• The XQ-58A Valkyrie boasts a 5,000+ km operational range, 45,000-foot service ceiling, and completed its inaugural U.S. flight in 2019

Airbus is accelerating its initiative to validate two Kratos-manufactured combat drones equipped with European-designed mission systems, with inaugural flights anticipated before year’s end.

The unmanned aerial vehicles — identified as the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie — are undergoing final preparations at Airbus’s Manching facility located outside Munich. The initiative aims to deliver a fully operational capability to Germany’s air force within five years.

This collaboration merges Airbus’s advanced software development capabilities with Kratos’s proven drone manufacturing expertise. Instead of designing an entirely new airframe, Airbus is integrating proprietary command-and-control technology into the battle-tested Valkyrie platform to expedite deployment.

Airbus SE, AIR.DE

The aerospace manufacturer is equipping these drones with its MARS architecture. MARS — an acronym for Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure — incorporates MindShare, an artificial intelligence software suite engineered to replicate pilot decision-making and orchestrate mixed formations of piloted and autonomous aircraft during complex operations.

According to company officials, leveraging a flight-proven airframe alongside European-developed software infrastructure significantly reduces both timeline and expenses — while ensuring European sovereignty over critical mission systems.

MARS Platform and Artificial Intelligence Capabilities

Kratos President of Unmanned Systems Steve Fendley characterized the integration of Valkyrie airframes with MARS technology as delivering a “multi-mission, cost-effective solution” capable of independent operations, coordinated drone swarms, or manned-unmanned teaming configurations.

Marco Gumbrecht, Airbus’s Head of Key Account Germany, emphasized that this approach provides Germany and broader Europe with validated technology without requiring complete indigenous development — a strategic imperative given current security challenges facing the continent.

The Valkyrie platform achieved its first flight in American airspace in 2019 and has undergone continuous evaluation since. Airbus projects the drone’s European debut flight will occur during late 2026.

The aircraft features a 9.1-meter fuselage with an 8.2-meter wingspan. Performance specifications include an operational radius surpassing 5,000 kilometers, a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, and approximately three metric tons maximum takeoff weight.

Eurofighter Integration as Control Platform

The development program encompasses significant modifications to the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet to enable drone command and control functionality during operational missions.

Airbus is collaborating with Rafael to upgrade the Litening 5 Advanced Targeting Pod, currently deployed on Eurofighter platforms, incorporating enhanced data-link capabilities. Complementary avionics modifications to the fighter aircraft are also under development.

These enhancements will enable Eurofighter pilots to actively manage and direct Valkyrie drones throughout combat engagements in real-time.

The Valkyrie platform is engineered for diverse mission profiles encompassing both kinetic strike and electronic warfare operations — particularly scenarios deemed excessively dangerous for human aircrew. Airbus confirms these drones can execute missions with complete autonomy or under direct supervision from manned fighter aircraft.

For Germany’s specific requirements, Airbus and Kratos are concentrating on a defined operational capability to meet the 2029 initial operating capability deadline.

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