U740 Valkyrie completes its first European test flight

what happened

GlobeNewswire reported on Oct. 12, 2026, that Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. completed the U740 Valkyrie’s first flight in Europe. The test took place at a Northern European facility and met all stated objectives: a rocket-assisted launch that did not depend on a runway, maneuvers across different altitudes and at speeds reaching Mach 0.8, and changes to the mission while airborne. The companies aim to provide a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) for Germany and other European armed forces by 2029.

More advanced trials are expected to use Airbus’ MARS mission system. The platform is designed to retain European control of the aircraft’s software, applications, data and hardware, while AI-supported software conducts missions autonomously and coordinates groups of aircraft. A command structure keeps a human involved in critical decisions. Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn and Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco said the aircraft could also extend the range, firepower and survivability of crewed aircraft such as the Eurofighter.

why it matters

The 30-foot aircraft has a 27-foot wingspan and an internal bay for air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. Its published specifications include a service ceiling of 45,000 feet, more than 3,000 miles of range and a maximum take-off weight above 6,000 lbs. Valkyrie is intended to fly independently or under the direction of crewed fighters on high-risk missions, marking the next stage of Airbus and Kratos’ European CCA testing program.

instruments