US Air Force completes first test flight of Valkyrie unmanned fighter jet

The XQ58-A Valkyrie, a jet-powered drone designed to fly alongside manned fighter jets and navigate autonomously, has completed its first test flight, the US Air Force says.

The test flight, at Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona, is a major step forward for an experimental "loyal wingman" concept that envisions small robotic drones accompanying fighter jets into combat, scout ahead or absorb enemy fire.

Military experts have suggested such systems would be useful in a war between two rival nations, something that aligns with the US Defence Department's increasing focus on competing with China and Russia for military dominance.

The Pentagon has yet to commit to the idea. But the Air Force Research Laboratory is among several military agencies dabbling in such technology, partnering with a San Diego-based company called Kratos Defense and Security Solutions to develop the Valkyrie.

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Chicago-based aerospace giant Boeing introduced its own "loyal wingman" prototype drone last month at a trade show in Australia, according to the trade publication Defense News. It expects its variant to achieve first flight next year.

The Valkyrie has an estimated unit cost of between NZ$3 million and NZ$4.5m, something that is intended to give it a similar cost profile to the anti-aircraft missiles that enemies would theoretically fire at it.

And it is distinct from prevailing US drone models such as the MQ-9 Reaper in that it is jet-powered and can fly at supersonic speeds, something that could enable it to keep pace with an F-16 or F-35 fighter jet.

The Valkyrie "is the first example of a class of [drone] that is defined by low procurement and operating costs while providing game changing combat capability," Air Force Research Lab programme manager Doug Szczublewski said in a statement.

The test is also a major step forward for Kratos, the Valkyrie's manufacturer.

Kratos already does a steady business with the US military for small drones the military uses for target practice in training exercises. And it has been trying to break into the much larger military fighter jet market that is dominated by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

Kratos chief executive Eric DeMarco said in a call with investors late last month that a successful initial flight test for the Valkyrie would be "one of the most significant milestones in Kratos' history."

"We also see 2019 as the year that Kratos is established as the world leader in the high performance unmanned aerial drone system product class that we're in, which we see as a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for our company," DeMarco said.