Northrop Grumman to develop USMC combat drone based on XQ-58A Valkyrie

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has selected Northrop Grumman to develop an uncrewed combat aircraft based on the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie. The effort is part of the service’s MUX TACAIR program, aimed at fielding autonomous platforms that can operate alongside manned aircraft.

Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will act as prime integrator for the system, combining its sensors and mission systems with the Valkyrie airframe. The aircraft will be equipped with autonomy software, sensors, and payload systems for various operational roles.

The XQ-58A is a jet-powered drone developed by Kratos Defense. It is capable of conventional takeoff and landing and features a modular airframe and payload bays. The Marine Corps intends to use the platform as part of a future fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) designed for expeditionary and tactical operations.

Northrop Grumman will supply an open-architecture autonomy package known as Prism to manage autonomous flight. The company is also providing a mission kit with software-defined systems capable of both kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

According to the companies, the modified Valkyrie is designed to operate with manned aircraft such as the F-35B. The goal is to create a low-cost, survivable platform that can be deployed in numbers to support joint missions.

The Marine Corps began testing the Valkyrie in 2023, completing at least six flight events. The aircraft has been previously demonstrated in joint operations with crewed fighters.

Northrop Grumman and Kratos say the system builds on more than 20 flight demonstrations and will offer a low-risk path to autonomous capability under the MUX TACAIR initiative.

The value and timeline of the contract were not disclosed.

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