Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a
leading National Security Solutions provider and industry-leading
provider of high-performance, jet-powered unmanned aerial systems,
announced today another recent successful flight from its family of
Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)—flying and demonstrating
capabilities since 2015. Kratos’ family of CCA’s include more than
four different aircraft types, with each having been flying for
several years, proving, validating, and demonstrating key mission
capabilities, as the DoD refines the ultimate range of requirements
for the various CCA classes.
All of Kratos’ CCA systems are high subsonic,
high maneuverability (high-g) jet aircraft, each optimized for
different mission capabilities, with each incorporating stealth and
other capabilities to help ensure survivability in today’s
contested environment. Kratos’ publicly announced family of CCA
systems range from a 350-pound class system to a 6000-pound class
system and unrefueled ranges in excess of 3,000 miles.
Kratos rail-launched and runway-independent CCAs
are developed to maximize performance per cost rather than being at
the exquisite end of the capability and cost level. Therefore, they
are ideal for “large mass, high quantity” scenarios and for
distributed capability operations, where the loss of any one
aircraft has a minimal effect on mission success and a minimal
effect on cost of the overall mission. Current and recent
conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, have emphasized the validity
in the distributed/high mass strategy for today’s battlespace,
further supported by the cost equation.
Kratos Air Wolf Drone with Tactical Mission System
Payload Just before Flight is available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92a79cb0-7e37-47aa-b50a-29a3960ca110
Across a portfolio of internally funded efforts
and funded on-contract efforts, Kratos CCAs have
flight-demonstrated the following mission capabilities in flights
beginning in 2015 and continuing throughout the last seven
years:
- autonomous self-navigation
- autonomous relative navigation,
i.e., flying in formation and teaming with manned fighters
- in MUM-T mode based on the manned
fighter/attack aircraft path
- network based encrypted
communications
- control handoffs between ground
operators
- airborne operators in the mission
area
- airborne operators remote from the
mission area
- Kratos-only autonomy flights
- open system high level autonomy
control from other providers/standards
- collaborative operations with
multiple CCAs
- collaborative operations with
manned systems (MUM-T)
- communications relay missions
- sub-UAV / loitering munition
deployment operation
- internal “payload” carriage
- external “payload carriage”
- weapon system carriage, deployment,
and operation
- terminal effects/mode delivery
including successful target impact
Kratos UTAP-22 Makos with Harrier following
successful multi CCA MUM-T flight test series is available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c065cc2-7636-44da-9398-5f8c241cdf13
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos
Unmanned Systems Division, said, “There have been many
reports in the recent months/years about the promise of
capabilities – such as relative navigation autonomy for MUM-T
operations, multiple CCA collaborative missions, control handoffs
from multiple users/commanders for a single or group of UAVs/CCAs –
demonstrated through UAV system simulations across the industry.
Notably, each of these critical capabilities have previously been
actually flight demonstrated and proven with the Kratos CCAs,
beginning in 2015. Our aircraft have operated in actual
flight—being controlled from, flown in formation using relative
navigation based on the manned assets, and flown in coordination
with F-16s, AV8-Bs, F-35s, F-22s, T-38s, CRJs, and other manned, as
well as unmanned, assets.”
Kratos XQ-58A in flight with F-35 and F-22 is
available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/963f08c0-1ac7-450b-b5a2-9128afad1a99
Mr. Fendley continued, “Kratos’ systems include
inner loop and outer loop autonomy up through elements of level 4
with Kratos baseline software. The Kratos software includes open
architecture interfaces to enable control from systems including
the Government Reference Architecture Skyborg ACS, for example. All
of these have been flight demonstrated on our CCAs with the Kratos
baseline autonomy providing the foundation capability. Our
continued internal and on-contract work is focused on supporting
the DoD in closing on the final requirement sets for the wide range
of mission applications and on having field ready systems, which
have been flight proven even before the ultimate capability
requirements and programs have been published.”
Mr. Fendley concluded, “The DoD has reported
consistently, especially in the last several months, that runway
independence and the ability to operate from multiple non-large
base locations is a critical enabler for our military’s successful
operations in the most critical enemy threat scenarios. The DoD has
also reported consistently that large quantities or a mass of CCAs
are the game-changer for success in the wargames and threat
analyses. Other characteristics/capabilities which are significant
enablers for mission success in these engagements/missions include
a level of survivability through signature, speed, and
maneuverability, plus range and endurance in substantial excess of
today’s fighters, and finally, affordability based on both the mass
analyses and cost trade conflict equation. Kratos’ systems have
been designed specifically in response to each of these
fundamentals, all which support the wargame analysis keys to
success.”
Kratos XQ-58A Weapons Bay open in flight is
available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1cd823fb-d934-4b1a-9ac7-6a33a4f4b224
Kratos XQ-58A deploying Loitering Munition Altius
600 in flight is available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a60c8fbf-3d99-4396-a4fc-054ed4719fd8
Eric DeMarco, President of the Kratos
Unmanned Systems Division, said, “At Kratos we have always
been committed to ‘designed and built in the USA’, supporting the
American worker, family, industrial base and our Country. As
evidenced by the pandemic, supporting and strengthening the U.S.
defense industrial base at all tiers is a critical key to the
defense of our Nation overall. As part of this mission, Kratos
develops and demonstrates complete capabilities with actual
hardware, actual software, and actual systems. Proving capabilities
within the challenging uncrewed aircraft arena can and will ever
only be confirmed through actual flight—not simulations.”
Mr. DeMarco continued, “By progressing to actual
flight and actual demonstration with high capability-per-cost, yet
affordable, systems faster than traditional and conventional
platform providers can achieve, Kratos is changing the status quo.
We believe in being disruptive and are investing our own resources
at an industry-leading, unmatched rate to ensure the warfighter has
increased capabilities sooner for less cost. At Kratos,
affordability is a technology, and we will remain fully committed
to this approach, including American designed, sourced, and built
systems, which I am confident, especially based on the current and
rapidly increasing threat environment, combined with the current
financial and budget realities, is the right answer for our
warfighter and for the United States overall.”About Kratos
Defense & Security SolutionsKratos Defense &
Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) develops and fields
transformative, affordable technology, platforms and systems for
United States National Security related customers, allies, and
commercial enterprises. Kratos is changing the way breakthrough
technology for these industries are rapidly brought to market
through proven commercial and venture capital backed approaches,
including proactive research, and streamlined development
processes. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we
specialize in unmanned systems, satellite communications, cyber
security/warfare, microwave electronics, missile defense,
hypersonic systems, small to mid-sized jet engines and technology,
training, and combat systems. For more information go to
www.KratosDefense.com.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsCertain statements in this press release may
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current
beliefs, expectations, and assumptions of the management of Kratos
and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking
statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of
the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to
update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes
that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements
are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially
from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking
statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in
these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the
business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the
Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December
26, 2021, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other
filings made with the SEC by Kratos.
Press Contact:Yolanda White858-812-7302
Direct
Investor
Information:877-934-4687investor@kratosdefense.com
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