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3w ago

Marines Tap Northrop–Kratos Team to Field Valkyrie Drone Wingmen Under $231.5 Million OTA

The 24-month rapid prototyping effort integrates Northrop’s Prism autonomy on Kratos’s XQ-58 to launch a spiral CCA for crewed–uncrewed Marine operations.

An F-35B Lightning II and a XQ-58 Valkyrie of the U.S. Marine Corps during a test flight. (Image credit: U.S. Marine Corps)
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An uncrewed Valkyrie demonstrator.
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Overview

  • Northrop Grumman was competitively awarded a sole Other Transaction Agreement initially valued at $231.5 million with a 24-month period of performance.
  • Serving as prime integrator, Northrop will add a mission kit and its open-architecture Prism autonomy software to Kratos’s XQ-58 Valkyrie air vehicle.
  • The Marine Corps’ MUX TACAIR aims to field collaborative drones that team with fighters for surveillance, electronic warfare, kinetic effects and affordable mass.
  • Budget documents for FY2026 request $58 million to deliver a prototype air vehicle with fully integrated mission systems under a rapid, spiral approach.
  • The selection builds on more than 20 operationally relevant Valkyrie demonstrations and Marine tests with F-35s, with the award timeline slipping after the 2025 government shutdown.