Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a
Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global
Markets and an industry-leading provider of high-performance,
jet-powered unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and Shield AI, Inc., a
defense technology company building the world’s best AI pilot,
today announced the successful completion of the first phase of
Shield’s AI-piloted flight-testing on-board the Kratos family of
UAS as the two companies move toward productizing Shield AI’s pilot
on these systems.
Hivemind Enabled Firejet Just Prior to Launch
A photo accompanying this announcement is
available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/891609ac-a92f-4b1c-a6e4-e74c13ac6ed5
Having successfully flown AI pilots on five
aircraft — three classes of quadcopters, the MQ-35A V-BAT, and the
F-16 in fully autonomous air combat training — Shield AI’s Hivemind
AI pilot has now successfully flown on and controlled the Kratos
Tactical Firejet. These successful flights are a major milestone in
the comprehensive integration project as Shield AI and Kratos look
to ultimately productize another configuration of the Valkyrie, in
this case with Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot.
“Our substantial investments in autonomy and AI
design tools, infrastructure, and pipelines are what enable Shield
AI to rapidly integrate Hivemind onto different classes of aircraft
and most importantly, fly them safely. We’re getting faster and
faster. It was over three years from signing the contract to flying
the F-16; now, it’s less than 180 days for the Kratos Firejet. The
vision of portable autonomy software for military hardware has been
realized, flown, and deployed by Shield AI,” said Ryan Tseng,
Shield AI’s CEO and Co-Founder.
Hivemind-Directed Autonomous Maneuvering
Underway
A photo accompanying this announcement is
available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f2f2042-c0a5-4d03-a150-050c454a3e2b
“The ability of our teams (Kratos and Shield AI)
to collaborate and work together as two commercial entities driving
toward technical mission capability solutions and systems to
ultimately support the DoD provides a rapid path to system
realization. Firejet is the first; there’s more to come and we’re
excited about the technology, what it enables, the speed at which
we can create and deliver these systems, and the broad application
space and impact that these high capability, affordable UAS provide
to the warfighter," said Steve Fendley, President of Kratos’
Unmanned Systems Division.
The Firejet, in its jet target system role,
fills a variety of end-to-end weapons-release training, supporting
surface-to-air and air-to-air engagements. Additionally, the
Tactical Firejet offers an offensive/defensive jet UAS system in
the sub $500K price range per aircraft with substantial mission
systems and performance capabilities. In either mission
configuration (target/tactical), the Firejet delivers a high-speed,
high-maneuverability, low-signature solution for replicating
threats or enabling no-risk-to-Warfighter-life operational
effectiveness with a level of contested environment capability.
Youtube Video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkmYV3ZUH1Q&t=1s
About Shield AIFounded in 2015,
Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose
mission is to protect service members and civilians with
intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is
building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has
flown jets (F-16; MQM-178 Firejet), a vertical takeoff and landing
drone (MQ-35 V-BAT), and three quadcopters (Nova, Nova 2, iPRD).
The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and
abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field
actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense
and U.S. allies. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow
Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
About Kratos Defense & Security
Solutions, Inc.Kratos Defense & Security Solutions,
Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology, products, system and
software company addressing the defense, national security, and
commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research,
development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop,
produce and field solutions that address our customers’ mission
critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a
technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge approaches
and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or
technology, with Kratos’ approach designed to reduce cost, schedule
and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective
solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative
disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an
expert in designing products and systems up front for successful
rapid, large quantity, low-cost future manufacturing which is a
value-add competitive differentiator for our large traditional
prime system integrator partners and also to our government and
commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and
contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we
believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high, and any
investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource
comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large,
traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is
greater or required investment is beyond Kratos’ comfort level.
Kratos’ primary business areas include virtualized ground systems
for satellites and space vehicles including software for command
& control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C),
jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and
rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering
munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems,
C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile
defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy,
communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented
reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information,
visit 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 31, 2023, 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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