Kratos halts XQ-58 Valkyrie flights after drone crash in Utah

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has suspended flight testing of its XQ-58 Valkyrie drone following a crash at the US Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. According to the company, the incident occurred on August 4, 2026, during a research and development flight funded by Kratos itself, with the aircraft flying in what the company described as a test configuration intended to evaluate new capabilities.

A spokesperson for Dugway said the drone came down at around 08:00 local time shortly after departing the runway. No one was injured, and no facilities at the installation were damaged. The aircraft was not being flown by the US military at the time.

Kratos has not disclosed the cause of the crash, nor has it specified which variant of the Valkyrie was involved or whether it was using the company's runway trolley launch system or a version fitted with conventional retractable landing gear. Flight testing of the type has been paused while the company investigates, though Kratos said additional test aircraft remain available once the inquiry concludes.

The XQ-58, which first flew in 2019, was originally designed for runway-independent operations using a rocket-assisted launch and parachute recovery, though Kratos has since developed alternative takeoff and landing methods. The program is regarded as one of the more prominent US efforts exploring uncrewed combat aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed fighters. According to Kratos, the Valkyrie is capable of flying more than 3,000 nautical miles, reaching speeds around Mach 0.86, and operating at altitudes up to 45,000 feet while carrying weapons payloads.