U740 Valkyrie Drone Achieves First European Flight with 3,100-Mile Range
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- InterestingEngineering.com
Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have successfully conducted the first European flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft. This milestone is a significant step towards delivering a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) for Germany and other European military customers by 2029.
The Valkyrie, which features a range exceeding 3,100 miles and can reach speeds of Mach 0.8, is designed to enhance the operational capabilities of European air forces. Its ability to operate independently or in coordination with crewed fighters like the Eurofighter positions it as a vital asset for missions that pose risks to conventional aircraft and their crews.
Looking ahead, Airbus plans to conduct more advanced trials incorporating the MARS mission system, which will enable the Valkyrie to execute missions autonomously while ensuring European control over critical systems. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
Valkyrie combat drone makes first European flight with 3,100-mile range and Mach 0.8
InterestingEngineering.com · Aamir KhollamThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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