Airbus, Kratos complete initial European Valkyrie flight test
Airbus and Kratos completed Valkyrie’s first European test flight. Airbus will add MARS in 2027, with German Air Force readiness targeted for 2029.
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what happened
Seeking Alpha reported that Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have carried out the Valkyrie combat drone’s initial evaluation flight in Europe. The aircraft met every objective assigned for the test, including a rocket-assisted launch, manoeuvres at speeds reaching Mach 0.8 and changes to its mission while airborne.
The program will next add Airbus’ Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system. The technology is intended to let European operators manage mission software, applications, data and hardware themselves. Airbus plans to fly the MARS-equipped aircraft in the first quarter of 2027, then operate it alongside a Eurofighter later that year. Valkyrie can travel more than 5,000 kilometers, while operational readiness for the German Air Force is targeted for 2029. Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn said the Kratos airframe and Airbus system could form an affordable, sovereign and combat-ready CCA solution by the end of the decade.
why it matters
The development combines a Kratos airframe with Airbus’ European-controlled mission architecture, making software and data control central to the program. Investors will watch the 2027 MARS test, the Eurofighter flight and progress toward the 2029 readiness target.
instruments
sources
- Airbus, Kratos advance Valkyrie drone program ahead of 2029 target — Seeking Alpha, 12 October 2026 at 10:41 UTC
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