{
 "slug": "airbus-valkyrie-xq-58a-bundeswehr-jagdbomberdrohne-manching-mars-mission-system-operational-2029",
 "title": "Airbus Valkyrie / XQ-58A Bundeswehr \"Jagdbomberdrohne\" Roadmap: Two at Manching, MARS Mission System, Operational Target 2029",
 "url": "https://www.grosswald.org/airbus-valkyrie-xq-58a-bundeswehr-jagdbomberdrohne-manching-mars-mission-system-operational-2029/",
 "canonical": "https://www.grosswald.org/airbus-valkyrie-xq-58a-bundeswehr-jagdbomberdrohne-manching-mars-mission-system-operational-2029/",
 "type": "dispatch",
 "published": "2026-04-16T21:13:00.000+02:00",
 "updated": "2026-07-29T18:52:35.000+02:00",
 "excerpt": "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nManching, 16 April 2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey points\n\n\n * 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\n * First \"pipecleaner\" flight planned in European airspace later in 2026; multiple flight campaigns through 2027; operation",
 "countries": [
  "germany"
 ],
 "domains": [
  "industry"
 ],
 "capabilities": [
  "air",
  "uncrewed-autonomy"
 ],
 "tags": [
  "defense-industry",
  "drones-uav",
  "air-space",
  "dez-german-defense-zeitenwende"
 ],
 "sources": [],
 "entities": [
  "airbus",
  "bundeswehr",
  "f-35",
  "germany",
  "helsing",
  "hensoldt",
  "rheinmetall"
 ],
 "inferred": {
  "countries": [
   "germany"
  ],
  "domains": [
   "industry"
  ],
  "capabilities": [
   "air"
  ]
 }
}