The U.S. Marine Corps has tapped Northrop Grumman and Kratos to develop its first fleet of drone wingmen, the companies announced Thursday.
The effort falls under the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) program, aimed at pairing unmanned aircraft with manned jets for surveillance, electronic warfare, and kinetic operations.
We’ve been selected to rapidly develop Marine Corps CCA with Kratos’ Valkyrie UAS. This new technology will enhance our military’s ability to respond to emerging threats. Learn more: https://t.co/jymNUgzhwr pic.twitter.com/2EzCVwtZ0n
— Northrop Grumman (@NGCNews) January 8, 2026
The selection comes after the Marines conducted multiple tests with the XQ-58 Valkyrie alongside the F-35 Lightning II. According to a joint press release from the companies, over 20 successful flight demonstrations were carried out in operationally relevant environments.
The contract, awarded as an Other Transaction Agreement,, has an initial value of $231.5 million over 24 months. Northrop Grumman will serve as the prime contractor, integrating its mission equipment onto Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie. Northrop will also provide its Prism open-architecture software for autonomy.
“[T]he integration of the Kratos Valkyrie aircraft system configured with the world’s best multifunction mission systems from Northrop Grumman results in a high-capability CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) at a price point that enables the uncrewed systems to be deployed in mass with crewed aircraft,” Steve Fendley, president of Kratos’s unmanned systems division, said in the release.
