Kratos Receives $34.8M Contract for Valkyrie Mission System Integration
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) has secured a $34.8 million contract modification from the U.S. Marine Corps for the XQ-58A Unmanned Aerial Systems mission systems integration. The contract supports the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Unmanned Aerial System Expeditionary (MUX) TACAIR program.
Kratos and Northrop Grumman have been collaborating with the Marine Corps since 2022 to define operational requirements for the MQ-58 Valkyrie variant. The team recently demonstrated advanced capabilities during the PAACK-P program, which is transitioning to MUX TACAIR in 2025.
The XQ-58A Valkyrie is a high-performance unmanned aerial vehicle featuring long-range flight capability, high-subsonic speeds, and flexible mission configurations. Work will be performed across multiple locations including Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake, and Patuxent River.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) ha ottenuto una modifica del contratto del valore di 34,8 milioni di dollari dal Corpo dei Marines degli Stati Uniti per l'integrazione dei sistemi di missione dei sistemi aerei senza pilota XQ-58A. Il contratto supporta il programma TACAIR della Marine Air-Ground Task Force per i sistemi aerei senza pilota espedizionari (MUX).
Kratos e Northrop Grumman collaborano con il Corpo dei Marines dal 2022 per definire i requisiti operativi per la variante MQ-58 Valkyrie. Il team ha recentemente dimostrato capacità avanzate durante il programma PAACK-P, che si sta trasformando in MUX TACAIR nel 2025.
Il XQ-58A Valkyrie è un veicolo aereo senza pilota ad alte prestazioni, dotato di capacità di volo a lungo raggio, velocità supersoniche elevate e configurazioni flessibili per le missioni. Il lavoro sarà svolto in diverse località, tra cui Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake e Patuxent River.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) ha asegurado una modificación de contrato de $34.8 millones del Cuerpo de Marines de los EE. UU. para la integración de sistemas de misión de los sistemas aéreos no tripulados XQ-58A. El contrato apoya el programa TACAIR del Marine Air-Ground Task Force para sistemas aéreos no tripulados expedicionarios (MUX).
Kratos y Northrop Grumman han estado colaborando con el Cuerpo de Marines desde 2022 para definir los requisitos operacionales para la variante MQ-58 Valkyrie. El equipo recientemente demostró capacidades avanzadas durante el programa PAACK-P, que se está transformando en MUX TACAIR en 2025.
El XQ-58A Valkyrie es un vehículo aéreo no tripulado de alto rendimiento que cuenta con capacidad de vuelo de largo alcance, velocidades subsónicas altas y configuraciones de misión flexibles. El trabajo se llevará a cabo en múltiples ubicaciones, incluyendo Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake y Patuxent River.
크라토스 방위 및 보안 솔루션 (NASDAQ: KTOS)는 미 해병대에서 XQ-58A 무인 항공기 임무 시스템 통합을 위한 3,480만 달러 규모의 계약 수정 사항을 확보했습니다. 이 계약은 해병 항공-지상 태스크 포스의 무인 항공 시스템 원정(MUX) TACAIR 프로그램을 지원합니다.
크라토스와 노스롭 그러먼은 2022년부터 MQ-58 발키리 변형의 운영 요구 사항을 정의하기 위해 해병대와 협력해 왔습니다. 팀은 최근 2025년 MUX TACAIR로 전환되는 PAACK-P 프로그램 동안 고급 기능을 입증했습니다.
XQ-58A 발키리는 장거리 비행 능력, 고속 초음속 속도 및 유연한 임무 구성을 갖춘 고성능 무인 항공기입니다. 작업은 새크라멘토, 오클라호마 시티, 차이나 레이크 및 패턱슨 강을 포함한 여러 위치에서 수행됩니다.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) a obtenu une modification de contrat de 34,8 millions de dollars du Corps des Marines des États-Unis pour l'intégration des systèmes de mission des systèmes aériens sans pilote XQ-58A. Le contrat soutient le programme TACAIR du Marine Air-Ground Task Force pour les systèmes aériens sans pilote expéditionnaires (MUX).
Kratos et Northrop Grumman collaborent avec le Corps des Marines depuis 2022 pour définir les exigences opérationnelles de la variante MQ-58 Valkyrie. L'équipe a récemment démontré des capacités avancées lors du programme PAACK-P, qui se transforme en MUX TACAIR en 2025.
Le XQ-58A Valkyrie est un véhicule aérien sans pilote hautes performances doté d'une capacité de vol à longue portée, de vitesses subsoniques élevées et de configurations de mission flexibles. Le travail sera effectué dans plusieurs lieux, notamment Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake et Patuxent River.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) hat eine Vertragsänderung im Wert von 34,8 Millionen US-Dollar vom Marine Corps der USA für die Integrationssysteme der XQ-58A unbemannten Luftfahrzeugsmissionen gesichert. Der Vertrag unterstützt das Marine Air-Ground Task Force unbemannte Luftfahrzeugs-Expeditionprogramm (MUX TACAIR).
Kratos und Northrop Grumman arbeiten seit 2022 mit dem Marine Corps zusammen, um die operativen Anforderungen für die MQ-58 Valkyrie-Variante zu definieren. Das Team hat kürzlich während des PAACK-P-Programms fortschrittliche Fähigkeiten demonstriert, das 2025 in das MUX TACAIR überführt wird.
Die XQ-58A Valkyrie ist ein hochleistungsfähiges unbemanntes Luftfahrzeug, das über eine Langstreckenflugfähigkeit, hohe subsonische Geschwindigkeiten und flexible Missionskonfigurationen verfügt. Die Arbeiten werden an mehreren Standorten, darunter Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake und Patuxent River, durchgeführt.
- Secured $34.8M contract modification from U.S. Marine Corps
- Successful demonstration of advanced capabilities in PAACK-P program
- Strategic partnership with Northrop Grumman for military development
- Program transitioning to operational phase in 2025
- None.
Insights
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The PAACK-P program's transition to MUX TACAIR signals strong operational validation. Most importantly, the multi-site development approach across Sacramento, Oklahoma City, China Lake and Patuxent River leverages specialized expertise in unmanned systems, avionics and weapons integration. The Valkyrie's high-subsonic speed capability, combined with its runway independence, provides tactical advantages that conventional drones can't match.
In simple terms: Think of this as getting a high-performance sports car at the price of a regular sedan. The Marines are getting advanced military capabilities without the enormous costs typically associated with new aircraft development.
This contract modification reveals several critical business implications. First, it demonstrates Kratos's growing foothold in the lucrative autonomous combat aircraft market. The partnership with Northrop Grumman, a tier-1 defense contractor, significantly enhances KTOS's competitive position and credibility in large military programs.
The cost-plus-fixed-fee structure of this contract is particularly favorable, as it ensures profit margins while protecting against development risks. The multi-year commitment since 2022 indicates strong program stability. The spiral development approach mentioned suggests potential for additional contract expansions as capabilities evolve.
Breaking it down simply: Kratos is proving they can deliver advanced military technology at bargain prices, which is exactly what the Department of Defense wants. This positions them well for future contracts in the rapidly growing unmanned systems market.
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a Technology Company in Defense, National Security and Global Markets, announced today a
Since 2022, Kratos and its industry partner, Northrop Grumman, have been working with the U.S. Marine Corps to define operational requirements for the MQ-58 Valkyrie variant. The team recently demonstrated advanced collaborative capabilities during the Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer Portfolio (PAACK-P) program, which is transitioning to MUX TACAIR in 2025. The modification contract provides the additional non-recurring engineering and material to support the planned spiral developmental efforts, as well as additional flight tests for the continuing capability enhancement of the Valkyrie system.
Work under this contract will be performed in Sacramento, California, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, China Lake, California and Patuxent River, Maryland.
Col Derek Brannon, Director of the HQ USMC Cunningham Group, said, “The U.S. Marine Corps is at the vanguard of collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) development and intends to field an operational CCA squadron with a tactically relevant aircraft equipped with effective, affordable mission system payloads.”
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, “The Valkyrie is validating the thesis that uncrewed system development and evaluation can be executed at a fraction of the cost and schedule required for manned military jet aircraft systems. The immediate takeaway is recognizing that uncrewed systems can be teamed in the very near term with existing fielded manned aircraft—reducing risk and increasing effectiveness and life of the manned systems long before replacement or next generation manned systems can be fielded, not to mention afforded. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie is a high-performance, runway-independent tactical unmanned aerial vehicle capable of long-range flights at high-subsonic speeds. Combining affordability, survivability, long-range, high-subsonic speeds, maneuverability and ability to carry flexible mission kit configurations and mix of lethal weapons from its internal weapons bay and wing stations, the XQ-58A provides unmatched operational flexibility at an affordable price for multiple DoD customers.
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers’ mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or technology, with Kratos’ approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low-cost future manufacturing which is a value-add competitive differentiator for our large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high and any investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos’ comfort level. Kratos’ primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 31, 2023, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Kratos.
Press Contact:
Claire Burghoff
claire.burghoff@kratosdefense.com
Investor Information:
877-934-4687
investor@kratosdefense.com
FAQ
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