Airbus U740 Valkyrie combat drone completes first flight

Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have flown the U740 Valkyrie combat drone for the first time. The flight took place on Monday, 12 October, at a test facility in northern Europe, the companies said.

During the flight the drone performed a rocket-assisted takeoff without a runway, manoeuvres at different altitudes, and speeds of up to Mach 0.8. It also adapted to missions while airborne, according to the two firms.

The U740 is unmanned. Airbus and Kratos said it is intended to support military jets such as the Eurofighter in operations from 2029. Which air forces might operate it was not stated.

The companies described the flight as clearing the way for further tests under more demanding conditions, in which the Airbus mission system known as Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure, or Mars, would be fully integrated. Mars was not installed for this flight. The system uses software with artificial intelligence to carry out missions autonomously and to coordinate complete mission formations, the companies said.

Airbus defence chief Michael Schöllhorn commented on the programme, according to the account.

The Valkyrie name comes from Norse mythology, where the Valkyries decided which warriors died in battle, a reference the companies have adopted for the aircraft.