Kratos announces rollout of new target drones for U.S. Navy

Kratos Defense & Security has announced the rollout of its new BQM-177A target drones for U.S. Navy.

On July 11 Kratos Defense & Security will be displaying the first aircraft under a $34.5 million contract with the U.S. Navy to supply high-performance subsonic aerial target drones to deliver realistic anti-ship missile threat emulation.

According to the company, the BQM-177A is one of the highest performance unmanned aerial drone systems in the world today, with unmatched flight performance characteristics in multiple key mission areas. Kratos is the sole supplier of high-performance aerial targets to all branches of the U.S. military. Kratos’ drone production facility is located in Sacramento.

The BQM-177A is a follow-up to the existing BQM-74E. Kratos officials say the new model offers greater maneuverability than its predecessor by offering a new fuselage, high-mounted wings, and an internally integrated MicroTurbo TR-60-5+ jet engine.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. develops transformative technology for the Department of Defense and commercial customers.