Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie

XQ-58 Valkyrie
The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator on its inaugural flight, 5 March 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
Role	Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
First flight	5 March 2019
Status	In development
Primary user	United States Air Force

The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed and built by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the United States Air Force Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program, under the USAF Research Laboratory’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) project portfolio. It was initially designated XQ-222. The Valkyrie successfully completed its first flight on 5 March 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.^[1]

Design and development

A XQ-58 Valkyrie deploys an Altius-600 unmanned aircraft system

The XQ-58 Valkyrie falls within the USAF Research Laboratory’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, whose objectives include designing and building Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) faster by developing better design tools and maturing and leveraging commercial manufacturing processes to reduce build time and cost.^[1] The role of the LCAAT is to escort the F-22 or F-35 during combat missions, and to be able to deploy weapons or surveillance systems.^[2][3]

The XQ-58 was designed to act as a "loyal wingman" that is controlled by a parent aircraft to accomplish tasks such as scouting, or absorb enemy fire if attacked.^[4]

It must also be able to be deployed as part of a swarm of drones, with or without direct pilot control.

It features stealth technology with a trapezoidal fuselage with a chined edge, V-tail, and an S-shaped air intake.^[3]

The first flight took place approximately 2.5 years from contract award. A total of five test flights are planned in two phases to evaluate system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery systems.^[1]

On 23 July 2020, the Air Force awarded contracts to Kratos, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics authorizing the companies to compete for the Skyborg program, an effort to field an unmanned wingman cheap enough to sustain losses in combat but capable of supporting manned fighters in hostile environments; Kratos may use the XQ-58 as its submission, although it was developed separately under the Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program^[5][6][7] and another airframe might be submitted.^[8] Kratos was further down-selected, along with Boeing and General Atomics, on 7 December 2020. Submissions are to be delivered by May 2021 for flight tests in July 2021.^[9][10]

On 26 March 2021, the XQ-58A completed its sixth test flight, opening the doors of its internal weapons bay for the first time and releasing a 27 lb (12 kg) Area-I Altius-600 small unmanned aircraft system (UAS).^[11][12][13]

Specifications

The second XQ-58 Valkyrie taking off from Laguna Army Airfield.

Data from ^[14]

General characteristics

• Length: 28 ft 10 in (8.8 m)
• Wingspan: 22 ft 0 in (6.7 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 567 kn (652 mph, 1,050 km/h)
• Maximum speed: Mach 0.85
• Range: 2,128 nmi (2,449 mi, 3,941 km)
• Service ceiling: 44,997 ft (13,715 m)

Armament

• Hardpoints: 8: 2 weapon bays with 4 in each - with a capacity of up to 550 lb (250 kg),
• Bombs: JDAM, Small diameter bomb

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Boeing Airpower Teaming System
• HAL Combat Air Teaming System

Related lists

• Stealth aircraft

References

External links

• Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie page

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