New Variant Enables Conventional Takeoff & Landing

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions revealed an artist’s rendering of what will become the distinguishing feature of its new variant of the XQ-58 Valkyrie: retractable landing gear. The illustration was posted on X by the company.

This new variant will be the third launch and recovery technique used for the uncrewed vehicle. Earlier versions included ground-based, rocket-boosted launchers with parachute recoveries, and a second involved a special launch trolley that enabled takeoffs from conventional runways, also with parachute recovery.

The original uncrewed aircraft was designed for completely runway-independent operations.

As depicted in the illustration, the general design appears mostly unchanged with the exception of the additional tricycle landing gear. Kratos has not released any other info about the new variant such as max gross or max takeoff weights, speed, or endurance.

A Kratos representative said that existing versions of the UAS could technically be equipped with the retractable-gear, but that the company’s intent is to offer multiple Valkyrie  configurations to support various mission requirements.

Steve Fendley, President of the Unmanned Systems Division at Kratos said, “You’ll be able to do a conventional takeoff and land with retractable gear. You give up a proportion of your payload volume of your internal payload, but you can still maintain all the external.”

The Kratos post on X reads, “A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL), also referred to as horizontal take-off and landing (HTOL), is the method by which fixed-wing aircraft take off and land using runways. Being runway flexible/runway independent delivers maximum operational utility to the warfighter.”

FMI:  www.kratosdefense.com/