# Airbus and Kratos fly the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft for the first time in Europe

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/stories/airbus-and-kratos-fly-the-u740-valkyrie-uncrewed-combat-aircraft-for-26343a11
Date: 12 Oct 2026
About: [Airbus](https://technooptimist.io/companies/airbus.md)
Original source: https://euro-sd.com/2026/10/news/air/54297/airbus-u740-valkyrie/

The U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft, built by Airbus and Kratos, made its maiden flight in Europe at a test facility in Northern Europe, announced October 12, 2026. Airbus says the flight met all its objectives and keeps the program on track for a combat-ready collaborative combat aircraft by 2029.

## Key facts

- The flight included a runway-independent, rocket-assisted takeoff, maneuvers at several altitudes, speeds up to Mach 0.8 and in-flight mission adjustments.
- Airbus lists a maximum takeoff weight of about three tonnes, a range over 5,000 km and a 45,000-foot service ceiling.
- The aircraft is 9.1 m long with an 8.2 m wingspan, and has an internal weapons bay and external payload stations under the wings.
- Later flights will use Airbus's MARS mission system; the article describes this debut as paving the way for them, not as a MARS flight.

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