Northrop Grumman to Rapidly Develop Marine Corps CCA with Kratos’ Valkyrie UAS

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has announced that Northrop Grumman was competitively awarded the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

This award combines Northrop Grumman’s uncrewed capabilities and autonomous leadership with Kratos’ Valkyrie uncrewed aerial system to work alongside crewed fighters to provide air dominance in high-threat environments. 

Northrop Grumman will develop and rapidly deliver platforms that include:

• Advanced Mission Kit: Northrop Grumman’s cost-effective mission kit is inclusive of sensors and software-defined technologies designed specifically for uncrewed aircraft. The mission kit’s flexible technology can perform various kinetic and non-kinetic effects, making the platform a combat-ready asset.
• Open Architecture Autonomy Software: Northrop Grumman’s open architecture autonomy software package – known as Prism – will manage the aircraft’s operations autonomously.
  
• Valkyrie Uncrewed Aerial System from Kratos Defense and Security Solutions: Fully equipped for a variety of missions that will include conventional takeoff and landing capabilities, enhanced runway flexibility with a modular airframe and payload bays for customizable effects.

Experts:

Krys Moen, vice president, advanced mission capabilities, Northrop Grumman:

“Northrop Grumman remains at the forefront of advanced sensing capabilities, delivering innovative solutions that meet the needs of the warfighter with unmatched speed and reliability. This enhanced capability set ensures optimal performance for both crewed and uncrewed platforms.”

Steve Fendley, president Kratos Unmanned Systems Division:

“The integration of the Kratos Valkyrie aircraft system configured with the world’s best multifunction mission systems from Northrop Grumman results in a high-capability CCA at a price point that enables the uncrewed systems to be deployed in mass with crewed aircraft.”

Details:

Northrop Grumman has packaged its sensors and other mission capabilities into a smaller envelope, resulting in a more cost-effective solution that is compatible with an uncrewed platform. Combining existing product lines and proven capabilities, Northrop Grumman, Kratos, and commercial partners developed a missionized CCA that includes survivability, connectivity, lethality and supportability elements.

With more than 20 successful flight demonstrations in operationally relevant environments, Northrop Grumman and Kratos are offering the U.S. Marine Corps a low risk, expedited path to MUX TACAIR mission capability and persistent joint crewed and uncrewed expeditionary operations.

Kratos has confirmed to TWZ that the landing gear-equipped version of its XQ-58 Valkyrie drone being developed for the U.S. Marines will still be able to make rocket-assisted take-offs from static launchers. This means the new addition to the stealthy Valkyrie family will retain a valuable degree of runway independence, though they will have to touch down on a runway at the end of their sortie. This opens up additional operational possibilities, though there are also tradeoffs.

“The initial aircraft for the MUX TACAIR CCA contract will be landing gear version Valkyries, which can take off and land conventionally, or be booster-launched and conventionally landed,” a Kratos spokesperson told us.

When asked if this meant the CTOL Valkyrie would be able to use existing static launchers or if it would require a new launch architecture for boosted takeoffs, that spokesperson also responded: “the same.”

“Unfortunately, [we] cannot share more,” they added when asked for further details about the ongoing development of the CTOL version of the XQ-58, though they did confirm the early 2026 target timeframe for a first flight.

Sources: Kratos; The War Zone