XQ-58A Valkyrie

The XQ-58A Valkyrie is the USAF's first operational 'loyal wingman' — an attritable low-cost autonomous combat aircraft designed to fly alongside, and in support of, manned fighters in contested airspace. Developed by Kratos Defense under the USAF's Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) program, the Valkyrie is a jet-powered aircraft with a cranked-arrow delta wing, internal weapons bay, and a low-observable profile. Its unit cost of approximately $2–4 million is two orders of magnitude below a crewed fighter, enabling a 'mass' concept: accepting the loss of Valkyries in combat that would be unacceptable for crewed aircraft. First flight was in March 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground.

The Valkyrie's concept of operations centers on Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) teaming: an F-22 or F-35 pilot manages a 'flight' of multiple Valkyries, each executing autonomous sub-tasks — forward ISR penetration, electronic jamming, weapons delivery, decoy operations — while the manned aircraft remains further from threats. The internal bay can carry two AIM-120 AMRAAMs or two Small Diameter Bombs. USAF has also used the Valkyrie as a testbed for autonomy algorithms, AI-assisted target recognition, and human-machine teaming experiments. Australia's XQ-58A-derived Loyal Wingman (now the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat) illustrates the program's international influence.