# Kratos Advances European Combat Drone Production

Kratos and Airbus completed the first European test flight of the U740 Valkyrie uncrewed combat aircraft, intended to support German and other European air forces. Kratos also reported successful TDI-J85 turbojet tests across several launch configurations; manufacturing orders call for 3,000 engines in 2027, and the company is preparing capacity to produce up to 10,000 or more annually by 2029. No contract value, solicitation, or specific government customer for the engine orders was reported, so the production plans do not establish a publicly identified procurement opportunity.

- The planned production ramp may create opportunities for component suppliers, manufacturing support, integration, and follow-on testing as capacity expands.
- Procurement teams and contractors should distinguish the reported manufacturing orders from a government award: the signals do not identify the ordering customer, contract terms, or solicitation.
- Companies pursuing European defense work can assess relevant production and integration capabilities, while watching for formal solicitations and customer details, as noted in the signal.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Published:** October 15, 2026

### Government Entities
- German Armed Forces
- European armed forces

### Vendors
- Kratos (Developer and manufacturer of the U740 Valkyrie airframe and TDI-J85 engine)
- Airbus (Development partner providing the European mission system)

### Key Quotes
> Our successful flight tests across diverse deployment methods prove the versatility and reliability of the TDI-J85 engine.
> — Joseph Kovasity, Senior Vice President of Kratos

### Sources
- [Kratos combat drone completes first Euro flight, advances turbojet engine production](https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/15/kratos-combat-drone-completes-first-euro-flight-advances-turbojet-engine-production) - Defense News