Airbus and Kratos carried out the first European test flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft on 29 September 2026 at an unnamed test site in northern Europe, The Aviationist reported. According to Airbus, the sortie met all objectives.
Key facts from the test
- The aircraft performed a rocket-assisted, runway‑independent (rail launch) takeoff.
- It executed maneuvers at various altitudes and speeds, reaching up to Mach 0.8.
- In-flight mission reprogramming was completed without issues.
Airbus revealed the U740 Valkyrie designation at the 2026 ILA air show in Berlin.
MARS: the European "brain"
A principal upgrade compared with the baseline XQ-58 is the MARS (Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure) mission system, which Airbus describes as the Valkyrie’s "European brain." Airbus says MARS ensures full sovereignty over software, mission applications, data and hardware, enabling German and other European national oversight during drone operations.
MARS includes an AI‑assisted software module called MindShare. MindShare is intended not only to substitute for a missing pilot but also to coordinate entire deployed formations, while keeping humans in the decision loop.
Role alongside crewed aircraft
Airbus states the Valkyrie can extend the capabilities of crewed combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter by increasing range, firepower and survivability for the formation. The airframe’s rail launch capability is intended to provide operational resilience, while conventional runway takeoff and landing remain possible options.
The U740 can conduct high‑risk missions autonomously or under the control of crewed fighters — principally the Eurofighter. To enable an Eurofighter to act as a command platform, Airbus and Rafael are working together to upgrade communications for the Litening 5 targeting pod and to fine‑tune Eurofighter avionics.
Industrial cooperation and next steps
Kratos built the Valkyrie airframe; Airbus is integrating its MARS mission system. Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, emphasized that air forces need affordable combat capacity in an increasingly complex threat environment. He said Kratos’ proven airframe combined with Airbus’ sovereign European mission system offers a robust and cost‑effective solution in the CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) segment.
Following the successful flight, further tests will focus on complete integration of the MARS system.
Editorial note
An AI assistant supported the preparation of this article; the final content was edited and verified by our journalist.
Tags: drone, artificial intelligence, defense technology, Airbus, air force, defense industry, military aircraft, test flight, combat aircraft, Eurofighter Typhoon
