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XQ-58A Valkyrie

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions · Fixed Wing / Attritable loyal wingman / UCAV testbed · USA · Digital Age (2010–present)

XQ-58A Valkyrie — Fixed Wing / Attritable loyal wingman / UCAV testbed
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The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is an American jet-powered, low-cost, attritable unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed jointly by Kratos Defense and Security Solutions and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under the Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program. First flown in March 2019 and in production from 2020, the Valkyrie is the Air Force's flagship 'attritable' UCAV — designed to be deliberately disposable rather than survivable — and one of the leading airframes in the broader Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.

Airframe layout is a tailless lambda-wing low-observable design, 30 ft (9.1 m) long with a 27 ft (8.2 m) wingspan. Empty weight is 2,500 lb (1,134 kg), maximum take-off weight 6,000 lb (2,722 kg), and maximum payload 1,200 lb (544 kg). A single Williams FJ44-1AP turbofan delivers 2,000 lbf of thrust, giving a top speed of Mach 0.85 (around 648 mph at altitude), a service ceiling of 45,000 ft, and a combat radius of 1,500 nmi without refuelling. The Valkyrie launches from a rocket-assisted ground launcher — no runway required — and recovers under parachute, slashing the basing footprint compared with crewed combat aircraft.

Design philosophy departs sharply from traditional U.S. fighter procurement. Per-airframe cost targets sit at $2–4M USD versus $80M+ for an F-35, and the design accepts limited survivability and a shorter service life so that airframes can be lost in combat at acceptable rates. Internal weapons bay and external hardpoints carry the GBU-39 SDB, AGM-114 Hellfire, and (in development) the AIM-120 AMRAAM. The XQ-58 has flown manned-unmanned teaming missions with the F-22 and F-35, ranging ahead of the crewed fighter to conduct ISR and SEAD and to absorb enemy fire that would otherwise threaten the manned platform. As of 2026, between 12 and 20 airframes have been built or placed on order, with production scaling for U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force frontline fielding through the late 2020s.

The Valkyrie is central to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, a procurement initiative announced in 2023 to acquire more than 1,000 unmanned 'wingmen' for crewed fighters. Competing CCA airframes include the General Atomics YFQ-42A and the Anduril YFQ-44A; the XQ-58 sits at the smaller, lower-cost end of the CCA spectrum. Separately, the U.S. Marine Corps has fielded the XQ-58 (under a MUX-derivative designation pending finalisation) for distributed maritime operations and littoral strike, with frontline fielding expected in the mid-to-late 2020s.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is an American jet drone built to be cheap and disposable. The Valkyrie first flew in March 2019. The Air Force calls it an attritable drone, meaning it is OK if some get lost on missions. Each one costs only $2 to 4 million, much less than a manned fighter jet.

The XQ-58 is 30 feet long with a 27-foot wingspan, smaller than a school bus. One Williams FJ44 jet engine makes 2,000 pounds of thrust. Top speed is around 650 mph, faster than a rifle bullet. The Valkyrie can fly 1,500 miles before needing fuel.

The Valkyrie has a tailless lambda-wing shape, smooth and stealthy. An internal weapons bay holds bombs and missiles, hidden from enemy radar. The drone has been tested with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-39 small bombs, and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. The Valkyrie can attack ground or air targets.

The Valkyrie does not need a runway. A small rocket booster launches it from a portable launcher. After the mission, the Valkyrie comes back down under a parachute. The XQ-58 has flown alongside F-22 and F-35 fighters, sharing radar data and scouting ahead, a job called Manned-Unmanned Teaming.

Fun Facts

  • The XQ-58 Valkyrie is an American jet drone built to be cheap and disposable.
  • Each Valkyrie costs only $2 to 4 million, much less than a manned fighter.
  • The XQ-58 is 30 feet long, smaller than a school bus.
  • Top speed is around 650 mph, faster than a rifle bullet.
  • The Valkyrie launches from a rocket-assisted ground launcher, no runway needed.
  • After missions, the Valkyrie comes back under a parachute.
  • The Valkyrie has flown alongside F-22 and F-35 fighters in tests.

Kids’ Questions

What does attritable mean?

Attritable means built to be used hard, with some lost in combat. A normal fighter jet costs $80 million or more, so losing one is a big deal. An attritable drone like the Valkyrie costs $2 to 4 million, so losing some is OK if the mission succeeds. The Air Force can send many Valkyries into dangerous airspace to find and confuse enemy defenses.

Why no runway?

A rocket booster pushes the Valkyrie off a small ground launcher, like a rocket leaving its pad. After the mission, the Valkyrie comes back down under a parachute. This means the Air Force can use Valkyries from any clear patch of ground, with no need to capture or build a runway. Runways are also a target, so avoiding them is safer.

How does it work with fighters?

The Valkyrie flies ahead of manned F-22 or F-35 fighters, scouting and using its radar to find enemy targets. The fighter pilot sees what the Valkyrie sees and can send the drone to attack. If the Valkyrie is lost, the manned fighter stays safe. This is called Manned-Unmanned Teaming.

Variants

XQ-58A (initial)
First fielded variant. Block 1 production. Six airframes built between 2019 and 2022 for AFRL, USAF, and USMC test programs. Flown in Skyborg autonomy demonstrations and manned-unmanned teaming experiments.
XQ-58A Block 2
Refined airframe with a modular weapons bay, upgraded autonomy software, and integrated AGM-114 Hellfire and GBU-39 SDB carriage. Currently in production for U.S. Marine Corps fielding.
XQ-58 Marine variant
U.S. Marine Corps variant for distributed maritime operations, hardened for shipboard and austere-base operations. Six airframes ordered as of 2024 for initial flight testing with Marine Aircraft Wings.
XQ-67 OBSS (Off-Board Sensing Station)
Companion air vehicle developed by General Atomics under a separate AFRL contract — similar in role to the XQ-58 but optimised for ISR rather than strike. Frequently cited alongside the XQ-58 in CCA planning. Listed for context — separate platform.
XQ-58 NGAD adjunct (proposed)
Proposed XQ-58 derivatives for the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) crewed-fighter wingman role. Under development pending NGAD decisions.

Notable Operators

U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Primary developer and operator. Three to four airframes used for autonomy and manned-unmanned teaming work, flying out of Eglin AFB, Florida and other test ranges. Aircraft have supported Skyborg autonomy demonstrations and AI-piloting research.
U.S. Marine Corps
First frontline customer. Six airframes ordered for distributed maritime operations testing. Initial fielding planned with Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) for littoral strike and ISR — directly supporting the USMC Force Design 2030 / 2050 distributed-operations concept.
U.S. Air Force (frontline, planned)
Major future customer. Pending CCA acquisition decisions, the XQ-58 is one of several competitors for the 1,000+ airframe CCA fleet. Initial fielded service is targeted for the late 2020s, with fleet-scale procurement possible if the CCA decision favours lower-cost platforms.
Australia (planned)
The Royal Australian Air Force has expressed interest in the XQ-58 as part of broader Australian unmanned-aircraft programs. Negotiations are ongoing, and Australia would be the first international customer for the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'attritable' mean?

An 'attritable' aircraft is one designed to be deliberately lost in combat at acceptable rates, in contrast to traditional 'survivable' aircraft (F-22, F-35, B-2) which are built to survive combat and return. Attritable airframes accept reduced survivability, a shorter service life, and lower per-airframe cost in exchange for being available in much larger numbers. The XQ-58 is the U.S. Air Force's flagship attritable UCAV. The concept is sometimes described as 'consumable' or 'expendable', though the Valkyrie is intended to be recoverable when possible.

How does the XQ-58 compare to the MQ-9 Reaper?

Different roles. The MQ-9 Reaper is a propeller-driven medium-altitude long-endurance platform built for persistent ISR and counter-terrorism strike against light air defences — 27-hour endurance, slow flight, high vulnerability to modern SAMs. The XQ-58 is a jet-powered combat aircraft for high-threat environments — Mach 0.85, low-observable shaping, optimised for SEAD and crewed-fighter wingman missions. The MQ-9 costs around $30M USD; the XQ-58 targets $2–4M USD. The two are intentionally complementary, not competing, and the U.S. Air Force operates both for different missions.

What is the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program?

A U.S. Air Force initiative announced in 2023 to acquire 1,000+ unmanned 'wingmen' for crewed fighters (F-35, F-22, NGAD). Each wingman would fly in formation with a crewed fighter, perform ISR, SEAD and strike missions, and absorb enemy fire to preserve the crewed platform. Initial CCA contracts in April 2024 went to General Atomics (YFQ-42A) and Anduril (YFQ-44A) — both larger and more expensive than the XQ-58. The Valkyrie may serve as a smaller, lower-cost adjunct to those CCA platforms or as a separate procurement line. Total CCA contract value is estimated at $20–50B USD through 2030.

Can the XQ-58 carry weapons?

Yes. The internal weapons bay carries roughly 1,200 lb, supplemented by underwing hardpoints. Demonstrated weapons include the AGM-114 Hellfire, the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (up to eight), and the AGM-176 Griffin. In development: the AIM-120 AMRAAM for air-to-air missions in the CCA wingman role, the AGM-179 JAGM, and future hypersonic missiles. Combining an internal bay with Mach 0.85 speed gives the XQ-58 credible utility in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles in moderate-threat environments.

How is the XQ-58 launched and recovered?

Launch is rocket-assisted: the airframe sits on a wheeled or trailer-mounted launcher and is accelerated to flying speed by solid-fuel boosters. Recovery is by parachute, using a parafoil-style canopy for a soft landing. The launcher is small enough to deploy from austere bases without runway infrastructure — a key feature for U.S. Marine Corps distributed maritime operations and for forward bases in contested environments. The launch profile is similar to that used by NASA's X-43 hypersonic vehicle and a range of target drones, though the XQ-58 is dramatically larger and more capable.

What does the XQ-58 cost?

Target cost is $2–4M USD per airframe. At current low-rate production it sits closer to $4–6M USD. Hitting the cost target is critical to the attritable concept — to make 1,000+ airframe fleets affordable, per-airframe cost must come in well below crewed combat aircraft. For comparison: F-35A around $80M USD, F-22A around $143M USD, MQ-9 around $30M USD. The Valkyrie's mix of jet performance, low-observable shaping, and aggressive unit-cost target is what makes the wider Collaborative Combat Aircraft program feasible.

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