XQ-58 Valkyrie drone crashes at Dugway during Kratos-funded test programme

According to an exclusive scoop by The War Zone’s Joseph Trevithick and Howard Altman, a Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie drone in a test configuration has crashed at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah.

It follows years of XQ-58 variants flying and participating in development efforts with the US Air Force and the Marine Corps.

TWZ reports XQ-58 Kratos CCA testbed crashed in Utah

Kratos confirmed to The War Zone that a test-configured Valkyrie was involved in a mishap shortly after taking off from a runway at Dugway Proving Ground on 4 August.

The company said the flight formed part of an internally funded research and development programme intended to add new configurations and capabilities to the aircraft. It did not disclose what configuration was being tested or provide further details about the circumstances of the crash.

No one was injured, and Kratos has temporarily suspended flight testing of the system while it investigates the cause. The company said additional test aircraft would be available once operations resume.

An unnamed Dugway Proving Ground spokesperson separately confirmed to The War Zone that a drone had crashed during take-off at around 08:00 local time, although the installation did not identify the aircraft involved.

Steve Fendley, President of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division, later told TWZ that he couldn’t “go into detail” but that there is an investigation and that “we push the envelope across all of our system types.”

As of the time of writing, Kratos Defense does not appear to have published a statement.

Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie drone

The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a rail-launched uncrewed aircraft used primarily by the US Air Force to develop Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concepts, tactics and requirements. The Air Force has flown the aircraft since 2019.

The US Air Force passed over the XQ-58 in its Increment 1 programme for its CCA programme, believing it to be not capable enough. Instead, it selected the Anduril FQ-44 and the General Atomics FQ-42. Despite this, it continues operating the XQ-58 as a test platform to mature CCA concepts, autonomy and operational doctrine.

Meanwhile, the US Marine Corps has selected a runway-launched variant of the XQ-58 for Increment 1 of its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort under the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) programme.

This variant is known as the Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) version, and Kratos has previously said it was planning first flights for the variant in 2026.

Export success for the XQ-58 and other Kratos platforms

Kratos Defense is also eying export opportunities for its drone. In July 2025, AGN reported that Germany’s Airbus and Kratos announced a partnership to develop a German/European variant of the XQ-58A Valkyrie.

Kratos is to supply the airframe, while Airbus will integrate its sovereign multi-platform mission system (MARS, including AI-supported MindShare). The plan is for the new drone to be ready for the German Air Force by 2029 as part of Germany’s burgeoning Jagdbomberdrohne requirement.

The first European flights with the European mission system are planned to take place in 2026.

Separately, Kratos signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to integrate Kratos platforms with South Korean pilots’ fighters like the new KF-21 Boramae.

Also in 2025, Kratos signed an agreement to develop a one-way attack drone/missile derivative of its MQM-178 Firejet. That effort has now completed system integration and is advancing toward flight tests and large-scale Taiwanese production. Taiwan is also interested in a loyal wingman.