What Happened
Kratos Unmanned Jet Flies Beyond Line of Sight with F-35s and F/A-18
A US Marine took control of a Kratos Valkyrie drone during an electronic warfare mission alongside F-35s and an F/A-18 at a US Navy test range in southern California, as revealed by the manufacturer. The test, which occurred in April 2026, demonstrated the ability to control the drone beyond line of sight and validated command-and-control datalink capabilities. The mission was conducted by an integrated test team led by the Expeditionary Maritime Aviation-Advanced Development Team and included participation from Northrop Grumman, Autonodyne, and Kratos. This development was first reported by AeroTime.