Airbus Valkyrie / XQ-58A Bundeswehr "Jagdbomberdrohne" Roadmap: Two at Manching, MARS Mission System, Operational Target 2029
Manching, 16 April 2026
Key points
- Airbus Defence and Space disclosed plans to develop the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned combat aircraft into a Bundeswehr Jagdbomberdrohne, with two airframes acquired from Kratos and located at Manching for testing, MARS (Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure) mission-system integration, and flight testing
- First "pipecleaner" flight planned in European airspace later in 2026; multiple flight campaigns through 2027; operational target 2029; no formal Bundeswehr tender yet issued
- Platform specification per Kratos: 9.1 m length, 8.2 m wingspan, range exceeding 5,000 km, ~3 t maximum take-off weight, 45,000 ft service ceiling; 600-lb internal bay; one F-35-inventory Bundeswehr weapon already integrated into development
Airbus Defence and Space has acquired two Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned combat aircraft and located them at Manching for development into a Bundeswehr "Jagdbomberdrohne" — with MARS (Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure) mission-system integration, a first "pipecleaner" flight planned in European airspace later in 2026, and an operational target of 2029 against the still-unannounced Bundeswehr Collaborative Combat Aircraft tender.
Marco Gumbrecht, Airbus Defence and Space sales director for Germany, set out the development cadence: two airframes at Manching for testing and integration; the first flight campaign opens later in 2026 with subsequent campaigns through 2027; operational target 2029. The 600-lb internal bay carries one F-35-inventory Bundeswehr weapon already integrated into development; air-to-ground kinetic capability is planned within approximately 18 months of programme opening. The platform specification per Kratos: 9.1 metres length, 8.2 metres wingspan, range exceeding 5,000 km, approximately 3 tonnes maximum take-off weight, 45,000 ft service ceiling.
The MARS mission system is Airbus-proprietary and includes GPS-independent navigation, in-house AI for flight adaptation, and a software-defined architecture designed for European sovereign authority over mission-system updates. The arrangement preserves Kratos as airframe designer and US-side technology source while transferring mission-software authority to the European prime — the export-control template Berlin has been pressing across multiple ITAR-sensitive programmes.
Airbus is front-running the Bundeswehr Collaborative Combat Aircraft tender, but the disclosure does not constitute pre-selection. Three credible alternative bidders are active: Helsing + HENSOLDT (CA-1 Europa, 2027 first flight), Anduril + Rheinmetall (Fury), and General Atomics (YFQ-42A). The Bundeswehr's 2029 operational target aligns with the CCA timeline Germany requires under the Capability Profile published 22 April; the structural test variable is whether Airbus's incumbency at Manching converts to formal tender selection or whether the Helsing or Anduril/Rheinmetall paths displace the front-runner. A trajectory first surfaced in Signal No. 41.
Related · Bundeswehr Collaborative Combat Aircraft tender
Rheinmetall and Boeing partner on MQ-28 Ghost Bat for the Bundeswehr (31 March 2026)
Sources: Airbus Defence and Space, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Bundesministerium der Verteidigung, Hartpunkt.
First reported in Signal No. 41, 17 April 2026.