Airbus U740 Valkyrie completes first European flight, targets 2029 combat-ready CCA
Airbus and Kratos flew the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft in Northern Europe, reaching Mach 0.8 and a rocket-assisted take-off, with a 2029 delivery target.
The story in focus
Airbus and Kratos completed the first European flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft at a Northern Europe test facility. The flight met all objectives, including rocket-assisted take-off and speeds up to Mach 0.8, and the partners say a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft is on track for 2029.
- First European flight of the U740 Valkyrie met all objectives, including runway-independent rocket-assisted take-off and Mach 0.8 speeds.
- Airbus and Kratos say they are on track to deliver a combat-ready Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2029 for German and other European armed forces.
- The aircraft is 9.1m long with an 8.2m wingspan, about three tonnes maximum take-off weight, over 5,000km range and a 45,000ft service ceiling.
Flight test objectives met
The debut flight took place at a test facility in Northern Europe and included manoeuvres at various altitudes and speeds up to Mach 0.8, plus in-flight mission adjustments. Airbus said the sortie achieved all its objectives and clears the way for more advanced tests using its Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) mission system.
Sovereign mission system
MARS is described as the aircraft's European brain, giving Airbus control over software, mission applications, data and system hardware. It uses AI-enhanced software to run missions autonomously and coordinate mission groups, while a control hierarchy keeps a human in the loop for critical decisions. Airbus frames this as enabling German or European sovereignty over operational use.
Delivery target and platform
Airbus and Kratos said the milestone keeps them on track to deliver a combat-ready CCA by 2029. The U740 has an internal weapons bay, under-wing payload stations, a range exceeding 5,000 kilometres and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. Airbus says it can operate autonomously or under crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter, and offers rail launch alongside conventional runway take-off and landing.
What payload and performance figures did Airbus give for the U740 Valkyrie?
Airbus lists an internal weapons bay and under-wing payload stations. The aircraft is 9.1m long with an 8.2m wingspan, about three tonnes maximum take-off weight, over 5,000km range and a 45,000ft service ceiling.
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