Airbus Accelerates European Drone Development Amid German Luftwaffe Push

Airbus is preparing the first two Kratos-built Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft for flight testing in Germany, as part of the country’s efforts to field a reusable combat drone capability by 2029. The aircraft will be equipped with Airbus’ MARS mission system and will be used for autonomous or manned operations. The development is part of a partnership between Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, and is seen as a faster alternative to a clean-sheet European development. The company is also working with Rafael to add connectivity to the Litening 5 targeting pod, and with Anduril on a European version of the YFQ-44 Fury. The German Air Force’s UCCA program is unfolding ahead of Europe’s larger Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, which is also incorporating US-derived platforms.