Kratos Demonstrates XQ-58A Electronic Warfare Capabilities for United States Marine Corps
SAN DIEGO, April 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced that Kratos Unmanned Systems Division has successfully demonstrated the ability of the XQ-58A to fly in concert with two F-35 aircraft and the ability to deliver an integrated electronic attack (EA) capability on the XQ-58A Valkyrie aircraft during a live flight test event at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The demonstration completes the first phase of the United States Marine Corps’ Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer – Portfolio (PAACK-P) program. Flight test support was provided by the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing. All flight test objectives were successfully met.
Valkyrie in Flight with
Crewed 5th Gen Fighters
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appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not
imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
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The demonstration follows the award of a $22.9M “Phase 2” contract modification on December 4, 2023 for additional engineering development and flight test demonstrations, and marks a significant milestone in the PAACK-P program as the Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation Cunningham Group and Advanced Development Team, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) AIRWorks continue to inform MQ-58B requirements for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Expeditionary (MUX) Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR) for use in a Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) role.
The XQ-58A’s advanced EA payload autonomously detected, identified, and geolocated multiple tactically relevant targets of interest, transmitted emitter target track coordinates to collaborative assets, and successfully presented non-kinetic electronic attack effects against multiple emitters. Flying since 2019, the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie is a high-performance, runway-independent tactical UAV capable of long-range flights at high-subsonic speeds. The Valkyrie can serve as a loyal wingman, conduct single UAS operations, or operate in swarms. Combining affordability, survivability, long-range, high-subsonic speeds, maneuverability, and ability to carry flexible mission kit configurations and mix of lethal weapons from its internal bomb bay and wing stations, the XQ-58A provides unmatched operational flexibility at an affordable price for multiple Department of Defense customers.
“MUX TACAIR promises to increase the lethality and survivability of our current crewed platforms,” said Lt. Col. Bradley Buick, Cunningham Group Capabilities, Research, and Integration Officer. “These platforms are the future of air warfare.”
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, “We're very excited about the mission capability demonstrated during the flight and the incredible effectiveness per cost that this enables; not to mention the elimination of risk to a human pilot, and elimination of risk to expensive manned platforms. We're proud to be pioneering these technologies with our integrated autonomous aircraft systems that truly validate the DoD's goal of achieving effective, survivable, affordable mass. We are humbled to support the vision and drive of our Marine’s customer who has charted the course for these critical 21st century capabilities and proud to be working as a collective team with Kratos high performance uncrewed jets, Northrop Grumman's leading technology EW systems, and the Marine Corps.”
About Kratos Defense & Security
Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions,
Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company
addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos
makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other
investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address
our customers’ mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos,
affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge
approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or
technology, with Kratos’ approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and
risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We
believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in
the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems
up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low-cost future
manufacturing which is a value-add competitive differentiator for our
large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our
government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and
contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that
our probability of win (PWin) is high, and any investment required by
Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner
and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of
PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos’ comfort level.
Kratos’ primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for
satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control
(C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned
aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion
systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems,
space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for
missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed
energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented
reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
Certain statements in this press release may
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements
are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions
of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and
uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to
update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations
reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these
statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual
results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these
forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those
expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to
the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 31, 2023, and in
subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the
SEC by Kratos.
Press Contact:
Yolanda
White
858-812-7302 Direct
Investor
Information:
877-934-4687
investor@kratosdefense.com
