Kratos has introduced a new air-launched cruise missile that it claims will offer a low-cost way to strike targets at long ranges.
The Ragnarök weapon has a range of 500nm (925km) and can carry a 36kg (80lb) warhead, according to the company.
At the recent Miramar air show in San Diego, the company displayed the system with its XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned collaborative combat aircraft, showing Ragnarök munitions inside the aircraft’s weapons bay and mounted externally on a pylon.
“The Ragnarök [low-cost cruise missile] represents our commitment to developing high-performance strike systems, for Valkyrie, that meet the evolving needs of today’s warfighter in conjunction with the budget realities that dictate what systems ultimately make it to the field,” says Steve Fendley, president of Kratos Unmanned Systems.
The weapon’s body makes extensive use of carbon composites and has folding wings to allow for storage and transport.
Kratos adds that Ragnarök will also be relatively cheap, with unit costs at $150,000 per round in quantities of 100. It adds that the weapon has “completed initial development phases and is ready for production”.
Media reports earlier this year indicated that the US Marine Corps (USMC) plans to obtain the XQ-58A. In a 7 August investor call, Kratos chief executive Eric DeMarco acknowledged the reports but did not specifically confirm the decision.
A long-range weapon such as Ragnarök would appear to be relevant to the USMC, which is improving its long-range strike capabilities under its Force Design 2030 modernisation effort.
