Overview
- A missionized Valkyrie carried out a flight test in April 2026 that launched from a zero‑length launcher, validated a beyond‑line‑of‑sight (BLOS) command‑and‑control datalink, completed electronic‑warfare objectives and returned autonomously.
- Control of the jet transferred from Kratos’ ground station to an Autonodyne human‑machine interface that complies with the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, letting a Marine operator fly the aircraft over the BLOS link.
- During the mission the Valkyrie flew alongside multiple USMC F‑35s and an F/A‑18 to carry out coordinated electronic‑warfare tasks, and the integrated test was led by the Expeditionary Maritime Aviation‑Advanced Development Team with Navy and Marine test squadrons and industry partners.
- Kratos and Northrop Grumman were awarded the MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft contract in January 2026 and plan a missionized Valkyrie prototype for summer 2026 while Kratos says it is ramping Group‑5 production to meet demand, a company claim that awaits formal program confirmation.
- If sustained, the test’s mix of runway‑free launch, interoperable autonomy interfaces and autonomous recovery could speed fielding of collaborative combat aircraft for expeditionary Marine forces and change how operators extend the reach of crewed fighters.