Kratos has confirmed that the new CTOL version of the XQ-58 Valkyrie, a stealth drone developed for the US Marine Corps, can take off from both existing runways and rocket-assisted static launchers.
Despite its takeoff flexibility, models equipped with landing gear must only land on runways and cannot be recovered by parachute like the current version. The first flight of the new variant is scheduled for early this year.
The CTOL version is part of the MUX TACAIR CCA program, a collaboration between Kratos and Northrop Grumman, and maintains high structural similarity to its predecessor. The main change is the integration of the landing gear, which requires reducing some of the internal space for payload. Nonetheless, the aircraft retains its rocket-launching capabilities, allowing it to operate even in remote and minimally prepared locations.
Operationally, the new concept allows for distributed launches from forward areas followed by follow-up operations from existing airstrips. In fact, the Valkyrie can launch a mission from a mobile launcher and maintain a higher operational speed after landing at a secondary base. Runway landings facilitate maintenance, reduce the risk of structural damage, and speed the drone’s return to combat.
Despite its advantages, the CTOL version includes compromises such as reduced internal space for payload and reliance on disposable propellant for rocket launch. Still, the Marine Corps sees this new configuration as part of a strategy to increase the flexibility of its future combat drone fleet, determining that the ability to operate from improvised locations remains essential, especially in expeditionary and distributed scenarios.
source: The War Zone | Photo: X @usairforce | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team
