Kratos Flies Its U740 Valkyrie Drone in Europe and Lines Up Turbojet Production
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Airbus said on October 12, 2026 that the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft has completed its first flight in Europe, while a separate Kratos release the same day reported flight tests of the company’s TDI-J85 turbojet.
The two announcements came from different companies and covered different hardware, although trade press has reported them together. Airbus did not name the test site, and Kratos has not disclosed what an engine order of that size is worth.
Kratos U740 Valkyrie Completes First European Flight
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | U740 Valkyrie, Kratos airframe with Airbus as partner |
| Announced | October 12, 2026 (flight date not disclosed) |
| Location | Undisclosed test facility in Northern Europe |
| Objectives achieved | Runway-independent rocket-assisted take-off, manoeuvres at several altitudes, speeds up to Mach 0.8, in-flight mission changes |
| Mission system | Airbus MARS, planned for later and more advanced flights |
| Stated goal | Combat-ready uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2029 |
| Customers named | German and other European armed forces |
Airbus said all test objectives were met. Eric DeMarco, Kratos president and CEO, called the flight “an amazing success”, and Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said air forces “require affordable combat mass”.
According to Airbus, Kratos supplies the airframe, described as a programme of record, and the aircraft can fly autonomously or alongside crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter. Published figures put it at 9.1 m long with an 8.2 m wingspan, a take-off weight of about 3 tonnes, a range above 5,000 km and a service ceiling of 45,000 ft.
TDI-J85 Turbojet Test Configurations Compared
| Configuration | What Kratos tested | Launch platform |
|---|---|---|
| Lugged launch | Integration and reliable ignition | Standard rail or zero-length launcher |
| Palletized launch | Compatibility with rapid-launch systems deployed from the aircraft | Cargo aircraft |
| Surface-to-surface | Rapid-start and high-acceleration performance | Launch container |
Kratos said the tests showed the engine’s “versatility and reliability”, in the words of Joseph Kovasity, senior vice president of Kratos TDI. Those are company claims; the release does not publish thrust, test counts or failure data.
Kratos Turbojet Production Targets for 2027 and 2029
The company said it has placed long-lead orders for components to build more than 3,000 engines in 2027, that its Spartan engine facility is fully operational, and that it is targeting up to 10,000 or more engines a year by 2029. It cited demand from the US Department of War.
The distinction matters. Component orders are a supplier-side step, and the 2029 figure is a target, not a contract. The release does not name an engine customer or a delivery schedule.
Kratos Company Profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | San Diego, California |
| Founded | 1994, as Wireless Facilities Inc.; renamed Kratos in 2007 |
| Employees | About 3,600 (December 2024) |
| Revenue | About $1.2 billion (2024) |
| CEO | Eric DeMarco, president and CEO |
| Business areas | Space ground systems, jet-powered drones, rocket and hypersonic systems, propulsion, electronics and radar, training systems |
| Known programmes | XQ-58 Valkyrie, BQM-167 Skeeter target drone, TDI small turbojets (J85 among them), AN/SEQ-3 laser weapon |
What the Valkyrie Flight Does Not Yet Show
A first flight in a new theatre proves the aircraft can operate there. It does not prove combat readiness, and Airbus itself lists more advanced trials with MARS as a later step. Some coverage reports the mission system was not fitted this time. Neither company has disclosed an order quantity or contract value beyond the test aircraft.
Reading the two releases together, the engine news looks like preparation for cheap, high-volume missiles and drones rather than for the Valkyrie itself. That reading is analysis. Kratos has not tied the J85 to the Valkyrie.
Kratos Valkyrie and J85 FAQ
Did the U740 Valkyrie fly in Europe for the first time?
Yes. Airbus and Kratos said on October 12, 2026 that it completed its first European flight at an undisclosed test facility in Northern Europe.
Is this the Valkyrie’s first flight ever?
No. The XQ-58A demonstrator first flew on March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.
What is the TDI-J85?
A small turbojet from Kratos TDI aimed at low-cost cruise missiles, decoys and uncrewed aircraft.
How many J85 engines does Kratos plan to build?
The company said it ordered long-lead parts for more than 3,000 engines in 2027 and targets up to 10,000 or more a year by 2029.
When could a combat-ready version be delivered?
Airbus and Kratos said they are on track for a combat-ready uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2029.
- Kratos – “Kratos Highlights Recent Successful Flight Tests of the J85 Engine” (press release, October 12, 2026): GlobeNewswire copy on Finviz
- Airbus – U740-Valkyrie first flight in Europe (announcement, October 12, 2026), via EDR Magazine
- Air Data News – Airbus flies European version of Kratos Valkyrie: airdatanews.com
- Defense News – Kratos combat drone completes first Euro flight, advances turbojet engine production (October 15, 2026): defensenews.com
- Wikipedia – Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (company data)
