Kratos has temporarily suspended flight testing of its XQ-58 Valkyrie after one of the uncrewed aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from a runway at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.
The mishap occurred on August 4, 2026, during a company-funded research and development flight. Kratos said the aircraft was flying in a “test configuration” as part of work to add new capabilities to the Valkyrie. No one was injured.
A Dugway spokesperson said the drone went down at about 08:00 local time shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was not being operated by the US military, and the crash caused no damage to any buildings at the installation.
Kratos has not disclosed what caused the crash or exactly which version of the Valkyrie was involved.
The company said flight testing has been paused while it investigates the mishap. Kratos has additional Valkyrie test aircraft available once the investigation is completed.
The original XQ-58A was designed to operate without a conventional runway, using a rocket-assisted launch system and parachute recovery. Kratos later developed a trolley system that allows the aircraft to take off from a runway, while retaining more internal room for payloads. The company has also developed a version equipped with conventional retractable landing gear.
Kratos has not said whether the aircraft that crashed was using the runway trolley or conventional landing gear.
The XQ-58 first flew in 2019 and has since become one of the more prominent US programs exploring the use of autonomous combat aircraft alongside crewed fighters.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is a San Diego-based defense technology company that is developing uncrewed aircraft, propulsion systems and satellite communications systems for the US military and allied customers.
Kratos says the Valkyrie can fly more than 3,000 nautical miles, reach speeds of about Mach 0.86 and operate at altitudes up to 45,000 feet. It can carry weapons and other payloads internally and on external stations.
The US Marine Corps has been testing the XQ-58 as part of its work on collaborative combat aircraft that could operate alongside aircraft including the F-35. Marine-operated Valkyries began flying in 2023 and have since taken part in additional exercises and demonstrations.
Kratos is also working with Airbus on a Valkyrie-based uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft for Germany. Two Valkyries are being prepared in Germany for flight testing with Airbus’ MARS mission system, with the first flight of that configuration planned for 2026.
The August 4 crash does not involve either of those programs directly, based on information released so far. Kratos has described the aircraft only as a company test configuration and has not identified the specific system or capability being evaluated when it went down.