{"id":21993,"date":"2019-06-17T20:34:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-17T20:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2019\/06\/17\/us-air-force-looking-to-fast-track-cash-to-kratos-defense-for-additional-valkyrie-drones\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:30:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:30:23","slug":"us-air-force-looking-to-fast-track-cash-to-kratos-defense-for-additional-valkyrie-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2019\/06\/17\/us-air-force-looking-to-fast-track-cash-to-kratos-defense-for-additional-valkyrie-drones\/","title":{"rendered":"US Air Force looks to fast track cash to Kratos Defense for more Valkyrie drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LE BOURGET, France \u2014 Things are looking up for Kratos Defense\u2019s XQ-58A Valkyrie drone. Fresh off its second flight, the U.S. Air Force is considering buying 20-30 aircraft for further experimentation<\/a>, the service\u2019s acquisition executive said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m now looking at ways to do that and what the cost will be,\u201d Will Roper told reporters on the sidelines of Paris Air Show<\/a>, saying that the Air Force is looking for prototyping funds that it can access for a rapid procurement of those aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more from Paris Air Show 2019!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The XQ-5A Valkyrie is an \u201cattritable\u201d drone, the word the military uses for an asset that can be reused but is cheap enough that a commander could use them aggressively and would expect \u2014 and be comfortable with \u2014 some losses in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What sets Valkyrie apart is not only its low price point, which Kratos estimates will be $2 million per copy in a production run of 100 jets or more, but also the aircraft\u2019s near supersonic speed, long endurance and maneuverability, which could make it a formidable partner for manned fighter jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\t