Airbus is preparing two Kratos Valkyrie aircraft in Manching for maiden flights later this year, fitted with its European-developed MARS mission system, as it targets a German Air Force Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) capability by 2029.

The MARS system includes the AI-based MindShare software, enabling autonomous operation and coordination across mixed manned and uncrewed platforms.

“By combining the Kratos Valkyrie with our MARS mission system, we are offering the German customer exactly what Germany and Europe urgently need in the current geopolitical situation: a proven flying uncrewed combat aircraft with a sovereign European mission system that does not have to be developed from scratch in a time-consuming and costly manner,” says Marco Gumbrecht, Head of Key Account Germany at Airbus Defence and Space.

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, adds: “By taking the flight-proven and in-production Valkyrie and integrating the Airbus MARS mission system, the Airbus-missionised Valkyrie UCCA is a multi-mission, affordable system that can operate independently, in teams of UAS, or in Manned-Unmanned-Teaming operations.”

Airbus and Rafael are also enhancing the Litening 5 targeting pod for Eurofighter with connectivity upgrades to support command roles.

The Valkyrie can operate autonomously or under Eurofighter control across high-risk mission sets.