Photo: USAF
The XQ-58A Valkyrie is anticipated to have a price tag of $3 million per unit.
The Pentagon has announced a program aimed at bolstering America’s drone production base in response to China’s increased conventional weapon procurement efforts. With the F-22 and F-35 costing $143 million and $75 million respectively, the United States Air Force has requested nearly $6 billion in federal funding over the next five years to construct a fleet of XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed aircraft. Each Valkyrie drone will only cost $3 million, making it a more affordable option compared to traditional combat aircraft.
The XQ-58A Valkyrie, developed by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions as part of the USAF’s Low-Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program, is a 30-foot uncrewed aircraft weighing 2,500 pounds unfueled. It has the capability to carry up to 1,200 pounds of ordinance. The XQ-58 is specifically designed to function as a stealthy escort aircraft, providing support to F-22 and F-35 during combat missions. However, the USAF believes that the drone can be adapted to fulfill various roles, including surveillance, resupply actions, and engaging enemy aircraft in active combat.
Earlier this month, Kratos successfully conducted a three-hour demonstration of the XQ-58 at Elgin Air Force Base. The Autonomous Air Combat Operations team utilized high-performance computing, modeling and simulation, and hardware in the loop testing to train an AI agent to safely operate the uncrewed aircraft. While the concept of an AI-controlled aircraft may seem unsettling to some, the USAF emphasizes that drones will always remain under the command of human pilots and commanders.
The US Air Force faced criticism in June when Colonel Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton misspoke during a press conference, suggesting that an AI could potentially turn on its operator. However, the Department of Defense dismissed this as a hypothetical thought exercise rather than a realistic scenario. The Pentagon has assured that any Air Force drone will be designed to allow human operators to exercise judgment over the use of force.
Before construction efforts can commence, Congress will need to approve the Department of Defense’s budget for the next fiscal year. If approved, the XQ-58 program will require an initial outlay of $3.3 billion in 2024.