Overview:
The XQ-58A Valkyrie is an unmanned aerial combat system being developed by U.S.-based company Kratos and the US Air Force Research Laboratory, and which is currently in active testing.[1]Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, ‘Valkyrie XQ-58A’, https://www.kratosdefense.com/-/media/k/pdf/usd/xq-58a-valkyrie.pdf. The Valkyrie had its maiden flight on March 5, 2019, at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.[2]The Economic Times, ‘US military set to deploy XQ-58A Valkyrie AI drones to counter China’s strength’, … Continue reading The system can travel at speeds of 1050 km/h, at altitudes as high as 18000 m, and can be armed with weapon systems including ‘air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and bombs.’[3]Times of India, ‘XQ-58A Valkyrie: The AI drone which may help US forces against China’, … Continue reading The US Air Force Research Lab’s Autonomous Air Combat Operations Team successfully tested autonomous flight in this system on July 25 2023.[4]Defense News, ‘Artificial intelligence flies XQ-58A Valkyrie drone’, https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2023/08/03/artificial-intelligence-flies-xq-58a-valkyrie-drone/ The Valkyrie is said to be ‘a prototype for what the [U.S.] Air Force hopes can become a potent supplement to its fleet of traditional fighter jets, giving human pilots a swarm of highly capable robot wingmen to deploy in battle.'[5]The New York Times, ‘A.I. brings the robot wingman to aerial combat’, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/27/us/politics/ai-air-force.html
Autonomy:
Autonomous features are being developed in Valkyrie XQ-58A in collaboration with Shield AI, which aims to create ‘an artificial intelligence-native program that can control unmanned aerial vehicles to carry out missions without communications or GPS capability.’[6]The Defense Post, ‘Shield AI, Kratos to Integrate AI Pilot With XQ-58 Valkyrie Drone’, https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/06/16/shield-kratos-ai-pilot-valkyrie/?expand_article=1 Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot enables the UAS to ‘use sensors to create a map or world-view, after which the computer tells the aircraft or autopilot where to go and what to do to execute its mission.’[7]Shield AI, ‘Hivemind’, https://shield.ai/hivemind/
In August 2023, The New York Times reported that the Valkyrie’s ‘mission’ is ‘to marry artificial intelligence and its sensors to identify and evaluate enemy threats and then, after getting human sign-off, to move in for the kill.'[8]The New York Times, ‘A.I. brings the robot wingman to aerial combat’, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/27/us/politics/ai-air-force.html
Type: UAV
Developer:
Kratos; US Air Force Research Laboratory
Country: United States
Year: 2018
Use:
Collaborative combat operations; Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
Size: 30 X 27 X 8.3 feet
Weight: 2722 Kg
Speed: Top speed exceeding .9 Mach
Range:
Approx. 3000 nautical miles
Payload: Capability to deliver a mix of lethal weapons from its internal bomb bay and wing stations; 600lb internal payload capacity
References