The US Air Force’s Kartos Defense Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Security Solutions conducted a joint test of the XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial vehicle at the Yuma Range last week.
Unmanned aerial vehicles have been used in warfare for almost two decades. They are innovative but also expensive, enabling the military to carry out high-risk operations without the need to put any soldiers at risk.
And taking into account the high cost of their production, the demands for the development of such short-term use flyers have increased. The XQ-58A Valkyrie was developed by Kratos, and this drone represents the middle ground between the two classes of drones.
This aircraft can be used very early, but even if it is lost during high-risk operations, its price is not high and it does not represent a blow to the military budget.
It is about the long-range drone that the original version was 9.1 meters long and could carry 544 kilograms of goods, while the flight speed was 882 kilometers per hour.
It is estimated that the Valkyrie has a range of 5,600 kilometers and can reach an altitude of 14,000 meters. This drone made its first flight in 2019, and last year demonstrated that it can also carry a smaller drone, which it releases into the air during flight whenever necessary.
The drone is designed as a vanguard of advanced US fighter jets and can be used for surveillance. After testing functionality and aerodynamics performance, Kratos is now working on the Block 2 version that recently completed the first test of this advanced model.