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. May we present? This is the Valkyrie. Airbus is working at full throttle to offer the German Air Force an operational Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) system by 2029. In Manching, near Munich, the company is currently preparing the first two Valkyries it acquired… pic.twitter.com/eJ4aUpvvk4 — Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) March 13, 2026 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 — ...