Airbus has completed the first flight in Europe of the U740 Valkyrie, its version of the Kratos-built uncrewed combat aircraft, the company announced on October 12, 2026.
Airbus did not name the Northern European test site or give a date. It said the aircraft met all test objectives, including a runway-independent, rocket-assisted takeoff, maneuvers at various altitudes and speeds of up to Mach 0.8, and in-flight mission changes.
The milestone keeps Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions on track to offer a combat-ready collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) by 2029 for the German Air Force and other European armed forces, according to Airbus. The companies teamed up in July 2025.
Airbus prepares to test European mission system
Airbus said the flight clears the way for more complex tests of its Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system, which it describes as the aircraft’s “European brain,” giving German and other European operators control over its software, mission applications, data, and hardware.
According to the company, MARS uses AI-enhanced software to carry out missions autonomously and coordinate groups of aircraft, while a control hierarchy keeps a human “on the loop” for critical decisions.
“In an increasingly complex and contested threat environment, air forces require affordable combat mass,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. He said the Valkyrie would also extend the range, firepower, and survivability of crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon.
According to Airbus, the U740 has an internal weapons bay, a maximum takeoff weight of about three metric tons (about 6,600 pounds), a range of more than 5,000 kilometers (about 3,100 miles), and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet (about 13,700 meters). Runway operations are offered as an alternative to rail launch, and Kratos has tested a trolley for runway takeoffs.
Airbus said in March 2026 that it was preparing two Valkyries acquired from Kratos for flight testing in Manching, near Munich. It introduced the U740 designation in June 2026, ahead of the ILA Berlin air show.
The original XQ-58A, developed with the US Air Force Research Laboratory, first flew on March 5, 2019. Northrop Grumman was selected in January 2026 to develop a US Marine Corps CCA around the Valkyrie, and a Marine controlled one during an F-35 electronic warfare mission in April 2026.
Valkyrie faces competition for German combat drone program
Other aircraft are positioned for Germany’s accelerated uncrewed combat aircraft program.
Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia announced a competing proposal based on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat on March 31, 2026, citing a 2029 target for the Bundeswehr.
General Atomics said on July 17, 2025, that its affiliate in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, would support a European CCA derived from the YFQ-42A. Helsing said in September 2025 that it expected its CA-1 Europa, a three-to-five-ton autonomous combat aircraft, to be operational within four years.
Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco pointed to “CCA opportunities in Germany and other parts of the world.” The release does not refer to a contract from any customer.