U740-Valkyrie
Airbus · Germany · also known as U740 Valkyrie · Updated
U740-Valkyrie is an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) built on Kratos Defense & Security Solutions' XQ-58A Valkyrie airframe and fitted with Airbus's MARS mission system, flown for the first time in Europe on 12 October 2026. Airbus is developing the aircraft for the German Luftwaffe and other European air forces as a lower-cost uncrewed partner for crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter.
Overview
The U740-Valkyrie pairs an established US airframe with a European mission system rather than designing a new aircraft from scratch. Kratos's XQ-58A Valkyrie, which first flew for the US Air Force Research Laboratory at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, on 5 March 2019, supplies the airframe; Airbus Defence and Space supplies MARS (Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure), the software and mission-management layer that Airbus describes as giving European operators sovereign control over the aircraft's data, applications and autonomous behaviour. Airbus and Kratos announced in March 2026 that two Airbus-configured Valkyries were being readied at Manching, near Munich, for their first flights with MARS installed.
That first European flight took place on 12 October 2026 from an undisclosed test site in Northern Europe. Airbus said the flight met all its objectives, including a runway-independent, rocket-assisted take-off, manoeuvres at several altitudes, and in-flight changes to the aircraft's mission. Airbus Defence and Space chief executive Mike Schoellhorn said air forces "require affordable combat mass" and that the Valkyrie is intended to extend the range, firepower and survivability of crewed aircraft such as the Eurofighter. Kratos president and chief executive Eric DeMarco called the flight "an amazing success" and said the companies are "proud to be partnering with Airbus on the CCA opportunities in Germany and other parts of the world."
Airbus is targeting a combat-ready uncrewed CCA system for the Luftwaffe, and potentially other European armed forces, by 2029. The next test phase is to focus on MARS's autonomous mission functions rather than further airframe testing.
Design and capabilities
Airbus gives the aircraft's length as 9.1 m and wingspan as 8.2 m, with a maximum take-off weight of approximately 3 tonnes and a range of more than 5,000 km. The company states a service ceiling of 45,000 ft (about 13,700 m) and a top speed of up to Mach 0.8, reached during the October 2026 test flight. The airframe carries an internal weapons bay and external payload stations under the wings, and can be launched by rail or, as an option, from a conventional runway. Airbus says the aircraft can operate autonomously or under the direction of a crewed fighter such as the Eurofighter, with MARS keeping a human in the loop for decisions that must follow rules of engagement and legal and ethical standards. Neither Airbus nor Kratos has published the aircraft's engine, payload capacity or endurance.
Operational history
As of October 2026 the U740-Valkyrie has flown only in its underlying XQ-58A form and in the single Airbus/MARS flight in Europe; it has no operators and is not yet in production. Airbus's stated goal is an operational Luftwaffe system by 2029, alongside potential sales to other European air forces, but no procurement contract has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
What is the U740-Valkyrie?
An uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft that combines Kratos's XQ-58A Valkyrie airframe with Airbus's MARS mission system, intended to fly alongside crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter.
When did the U740-Valkyrie first fly in Europe?
On 12 October 2026, at an undisclosed test site in Northern Europe, according to Airbus.
How fast and how far can the U740-Valkyrie fly?
Airbus states a top speed of up to Mach 0.8 and a range of more than 5,000 km, with a service ceiling of about 45,000 ft.
Who will operate the U740-Valkyrie?
Airbus is developing it for the German Luftwaffe, with a target in-service date of 2029, and says it could also be offered to other European air forces; no operator has taken delivery yet.
Is the U740-Valkyrie the same aircraft as the XQ-58A Valkyrie?
It uses the same Kratos-built airframe, which first flew for the US Air Force in 2019, but adds Airbus's own MARS mission system for European operators.
