[Photo by U.S. Marine Corps]

06 October 2023

Let Tom Cruise know that human wingmen are so, well, done.

In fact, the international movie star should start scripting his next figher-pilot flick as Top Gun: Drone.

The future was set on Monday, October 2, when the U.S. Marine Corps—with support from the Air Force and Navy—conducted the first test flight of the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie drone at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

“Testing the XQ-58 Valkyrie determines requirements for a highly autonomous, low-cost tactical UAS that compliments the need for agile, expeditionary and lethal capabilities in support of both the Marine Corps’ stand-in force operations in austere environments and the Joint Force,” said Lt. Col. Donald Kelly, speaking for the Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation Cunningham Group and Advanced Development Team.

The testing—which required six flights—was undertaken to assess Valkyrie's worthiness for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance duties, as well as its skill in offering electronic support to manned and AI platforms.

Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie—one of several drone systems being invested in and tested by the Marines—can operate without a runway, fly approximately 3,000 nautical miles, and carry a payload of sensors or weaponry.

One wonders if an AI-powered drone can fly upside-down over a combatant's cockpit like Cruise did in Top Gun: Maverick—and perhaps even spew out a dose of trash-talking, as well...

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