U.S.-based drone-maker Kratos Defense & Security Solutions debuted its XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aircraft on the international market on Tuesday at the 29th International Defense Industry Exhibition MSPO 2021 in Poland.
The XQ-58A is a low-cost tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) designed to deliver a combination of long-range, high-speed, and maneuverability along with the capability to deliver a mix of lethal weapons from its internal bomb bay and wing stations.
Kratos says the XQ-58 Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed and built by the company for the United States Air Force Low-Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator program, under the USAF Research Laboratory’s Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) project portfolio.
The newly UAS reportedly will have an impressive range of more than 4,800 kilometers. It also can carry a payload of 272 kg, including small-diameter bombs and missiles.
In December 2020, Kratos received a $37.7 million contract from the AFLCMC/WA Advanced Aircraft Program Executive Office for Skyborg Delivery Order (DO) 2 to integrate, test, and deliver the XQ-58A Valkyrie system.