Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have completed the first European flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft, advancing plans to offer a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft capability to Germany and other European armed forces by 2029. The flight took place at an undisclosed Northern European test facility and demonstrated rocket-assisted, runway-independent take-off, flight at speeds up to Mach 0.8 and in-flight mission adjustments.
The aircraft reportedly flew on 29 September, although the companies disclosed the test on 12 October. Airbus described the flight as meeting all objectives, including manoeuvres at different altitudes and changes to the mission during flight. Runway operations remain an alternative to the rocket-assisted launch method.
The U740 is based on Kratos’ Valkyrie platform and is intended to operate with Airbus’ Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure, or MARS, mission system. MARS is designed to give European operators control of mission software, applications, data and hardware, while supporting autonomous operations and coordination between aircraft.
However, the aircraft used for this test did not carry MARS. Airbus plans to introduce the system during a subsequent flight-test phase, with the next campaign expected in 2027. The test therefore demonstrated the platform’s European operation and basic flight objectives, rather than the full autonomous, networked and manned-unmanned teaming capability central to the programme. Airbus lists the U740 at approximately 9.1 metres long, with an 8.2-metre wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of about three tonnes, a range exceeding 5,000 kilometres and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet.