Airbus and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions conducted the first test flight of the U740 Valkyrie combat drone. Այն ամերիկյան XQ-58A Valkyrie-ի եվրոպական տարբերակն է։ This test was another step on the way to the creation of a combat complex, which Germany plans to take into service by 2029. The project is being carried out as part of the preparations of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) to acquire a new class of jet combat drones. Their emergence can significantly expand the country's limited capabilities of unmanned aviation. According to Airbus, the test flight was conducted in one of the battlefields of Northern Europe (the location is not specified). The device took off with the help of a launch rocket accelerator, performed maneuvers at different altitudes and developed a speed of up to 960 km/h. The possibility of changing the task in the air was also checked during the flight. According to Airbus, all the defined goals have been successfully achieved. As reported by Naked Science, in the next phase it is planned to integrate the MARS (Multi-platform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure — multi-platform, autonomous, reconfigurable and protected) task management system developed by Airbus. It will provide European control over the aircraft's software and combat control architecture. According to the developers, the MARS system will allow drones to operate autonomously and coordinate actions within a group, while maintaining human participation in making important decisions. The U740 is based on the American XQ-58A Valkyrie, which Kratos developed as a relatively affordable platform for combat missions. Airbus-ը հարմարեցնում է ինքնաթիռը՝ ներդնելով սեփական MARS համակարգը։ This approach will enable Germany to offer a combat drone complex under European control without waiting for the completion of the development of an aircraft with a completely new structure. One of the characteristic features of the U740 is the ability to start a flight with a rocket accelerator, thanks to which the device is less dependent on standard runways. The initial version of the Valkyrie provided mainly for parachute landing, but the new models received the ability to take off with a rocket accelerator and land on a standard runway. This expands the field of application of the device and allows you to choose more diverse locations. For the Luftwaffe, this technology could be effective for decentralized deployment of aviation, as well as for launching drones from areas that lack full-fledged airfields or lack existing infrastructure. threats of attack.