Kratos has confirmed that the new CTOL version of the XQ-58 Valkyrie stealth drone, developed for the US Marine Corps, will be able to take off both from conventional runways and via static rocket-assisted launchers.
Despite this flexibility in takeoff, the model with landing gear will need to land on runways, unlike current versions, which use parachutes for recovery. The first flight of the new variant is scheduled for early this year.
The CTOL version appears within the MUX TACAIR CCA program, the result of a partnership between Kratos and Northrop Grumman, and maintains great structural similarities with previous models. The main change is the incorporation of the landing gear, which requires the reduction of part of the internal volume intended for the payload. Even so, the aircraft preserves the possibility of launching by rockets, which guarantees the continuity of operations from remote and poorly prepared locations.
From an operational point of view, the new concept makes it possible to combine dispersed launches in advanced areas with subsequent operations from conventional runways. In practice, the Valkyrie could launch missions from mobile launchers, land at secondary bases and, from there, maintain a higher pace of operations. Landing on a runway also facilitates maintenance, reduces the risk of structural damage and speeds up the drone’s return to combat.
+Elbit finalizes SIGMA NG in the USA as a possible successor to the M109 howitzer
Despite the advantages, the CTOL version involves compromises, such as smaller internal volume for payload and the continued dependence on disposable propellants for rocket launches. Still, the Marine Corps sees the new configuration as part of a strategy to expand the flexibility of its future combat drone fleets, especially in expeditionary and distributed scenarios where the ability to operate from improvised locations continues to be considered essential.
Source: The War Zone | Photo: @usairforce | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
