Work is currently taking place at Airbus facilities in Manching near Munich, where the aircraft acquired from U.S. partner Kratos Defense & Security Solutions are being integrated with new mission capabilities. The maiden flights of the two aircraft are scheduled to take place later this year.
The aircraft will be equipped with Airbus’s Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure mission system, known as MARS. The system includes an artificial intelligence-supported software component called MindShare, designed to replace the functions of a pilot and coordinate missions across multiple manned and unmanned platforms.
Marco Gumbrecht, Head of Key Account Germany at Airbus Defence and Space, said the project addresses urgent European defence requirements. “By combining the Kratos Valkyrie with our MARS mission system, we are offering the German customer exactly what Germany and Europe urgently need in the current geopolitical situation: a proven flying uncrewed combat aircraft with a sovereign European mission system that does not have to be developed from scratch in a time-consuming and costly manner,” he stated.
Gumbrecht added that Airbus intends to provide operational capability within a relevant timeframe while preserving European technological sovereignty. “Our objective is to deliver credible combat capability in time of relevance, while assuring key sovereign aspects. And we are confident that we can do this at a very affordable price – which is a key driver for UCCAs.”
Steve Fendley, President of the Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, emphasised the significance of the partnership between the two companies. “We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity, the capability we’re providing, and the teaming relationship with Airbus,” he said.
Fendley explained that integrating the Airbus mission system with the Valkyrie aircraft creates a versatile and cost-effective capability. “By taking the flight-proven and in-production Valkyrie and integrating the Airbus MARS mission system, the Airbus-missionised Valkyrie UCCA is a multi-mission, affordable system that can operate independently, in teams of UAS, or in Manned-Unmanned-Teaming operations,” he noted.
He also highlighted the industrial cooperation behind the programme and its operational concept. “Along with the technical and production backing Airbus and Kratos bring, we are realising an optimal capability system that can be bought and deployed as ‘affordable mass’; the consistent discriminator identified in today’s peer to peer wargames,” Fendley added.
As part of the broader capability development, Airbus and Rafael are enhancing the Litening 5 Advanced Targeting Pod already contracted for the Eurofighter fleet. The upgrade will add connectivity features that will allow the Eurofighter to act as a command aircraft capable of controlling multiple platforms.
With minor updates to the Eurofighter’s avionics, these improvements are expected to significantly increase the aircraft’s combat effectiveness. The enhancements are designed to enable cross-platform connectivity and strengthen manned-unmanned teaming operations.
The Kratos Valkyrie aircraft has a length of 9.1 metres and a wingspan of 8.2 metres, with a range exceeding 5,000 kilometres. It has a maximum take-off weight of approximately three tonnes and can operate at altitudes of up to 45,000 feet.
The Valkyrie conducted its first flight in the United States in 2019 and has been flown regularly since then. The Airbus-configured variant equipped with the European mission system is expected to conduct its first flight in 2026.
The aircraft can operate autonomously or under the command of a Eurofighter, allowing it to perform missions that could pose excessive risk to a human pilot. According to Airbus, the platform will be capable of performing both kinetic and non-kinetic missions across several operational roles.
