Latest news with #Valkyrie
India.com
5 days ago
- India.com
What is XQ-58 Valkyrie? Deadly drone which could replace fighter jets in future, it is developed by..., range is...
New Delhi: for those who have watched the Tom Cruise movie, Top Gun: Maverick, this will sound familiar. Now that the major military powers of the world like the USA, China, Turkey, and India are working on their drone technology along with the new and advanced fighter jets, it begs the question, do we really need to spend billions on fighters when drones are the future sky warriors? What is XQ-58 Valkyrie drone? In this regard, we will talk about a smart combat drone named XQ-58 Valkyrie, which is designed to fly alongside fighter jets. It is a long-range drone equipped with Artificial Intelligence technology and is cost effective. This system is being viewed as a military tool that could change the scenario of future air combat. Given its impressive, encompassing varied features, can it replace fighter jets? The XQ-58 Valkyrie is a combat drone built by Kratos Defence, an American technology company with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military electronics. The XQ-58 Valkyrie is designed to fly with manned jets and can carry bombs or missiles. Currently, it is being tested by the US Air Force and Marine Corps as a 'loyal wingman' for future missions. What are range and speed of XQ-58 Valkyrie? The XQ-58 Valkyrie can fly up to 3,000 miles (4,800 km) without refuelling and can reach speeds of around 650 miles per hour (1046 km/h). It can touch cruise speed of 548 miles per hour (882 km/h) and its service ceiling is 45,000 ft (14,000 m). These features allow it to travel long distances and support missions far from the base, according to Kratos and Air Force reports. Cost and production Each Valkyrie drone costs about $4-6 million, depending on the version and order size. If more than 100 are built per year, the price could drop to $2 million per drone. This makes it much cheaper than traditional fighter jets. How does XQ-58 Valkyrie function? The XQ-58 Valkyrie drone can be launched from a trailer using rockets or from a runway with a special trolley. It lands by parachute. What makes this drone even more effective is its ability to fly alone, in groups, or alongside piloted jets. It uses artificial intelligence to follow mission plans or respond to pilot commands. Valkyrie is designed to carry bombs, missiles, or sensors in its internal bay or on its wings. It can be used as a spy drone to detect enemy positions, jam signals, or attack targets. Its low cost makes it even more efficient. Can it replace fighter jets? Given the scale at which different militaries are working on the next generation fighter jets along with combat drones, it is hypothetical, yet practical at the same time to assume that drones like Valkyrie could pose a serious competition to fighter jets and substantially reduce the risk to human pilots. As reported, recently, F-35 and F-16 jets have controlled Valkyrie drones in flight, showing how manned and unmanned aircraft can work together. The future of air combat As discussed above, hi-tech AI drones like XQ-58 Valkyrie may soon become an integral part of the air forces just like fighter jets. Moreover, they don't cost much, have an operational long range and most importantly can work in tandem with the fighter jets. The future of aerial combat does look like to be set for an overhaul with the drones playing a key part.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Artificial Intelligence Leader and United States Central Command Advisor Charlie Burgoyne Joins XTI Aerospace Corporate Advisory Board
XTI Accelerates Defense and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Strategy ENGLEWOOD, Colo., July 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Underscoring the expanding breadth of its next-generation aerial systems, XTI Aerospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTIA) ("XTI"), a pioneer in xVTOL and powered-lift aircraft solutions, today announced the appointment of Charlie Burgoyne, Founder and CEO of Valkyrie and Andromeda—AI and decision-intelligence companies serving defense and Fortune 500 clients. Mr. Burgoyne, advisor to the United States Central Command ("CENTCOM"), will work with XTI regarding potential national security related applications of its aviation technologies and systems. "Charlie is helping to architect the AI-powered intelligence systems behind real-time decision making—on the battlefield and in the boardroom," said Scott Pomeroy, Chairman and CEO of XTI Aerospace. "That's the kind of operational edge we're embedding into XTI's strategy." Mr. Burgoyne brings to XTI 15+ years of cutting-edge experience in artificial intelligence and data science across defense and commercial sectors. From NASA and the United States Department of Energy to Rosetta Stone, F1 Racing and now two thriving AI ventures, he's helped pioneer applied AI in high-stakes environments. His appointment deepens XTI's ability to design and market aircraft systems that are not only vertically agile but algorithmically smart—vital to rapidly evolving unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), regional transportation, and multi-use mission platforms. XTI is building upon its national security-grade brain trust following the recent additions of Hanna Tomory, head of Palantir Canada, Preston Dunlap, former Chief Technology Officer and Chief Architect of the United States. Space Force and Air Force, and Steve Griessel, former CEO of global defense manufacturer Paramount Group. With Mr. Burgoyne's addition, XTI solidifies a rare blend of tactical, technological, and policy fluency as it advances its flagship TriFan 600—a manned, high-performance xVTOL aircraft engineered for speed, range, and vertical efforts simultaneously lay the groundwork for future unmanned and autonomous systems built on XTI xVTOL architecture. "The future of aerospace belongs to intelligent platforms that combine real-world utility with next-gen software and data systems," said Mr. Burgoyne. "The TriFan 600 sets the bar for high-performance, manned VTOL—I am excited to bring my knowledge and experience to the intersection of AI and defense to expand the foundation of XTI technologies to develop a broad defense and autonomy-focused portfolio." XTI's strategic priorities are directly aligned with the national posture articulated in the June 2025 Presidential Executive Order on Domestic Drone Production, which positions U.S.-made VTOL aircraft as key to securing American interests in the establishment and solidification of air dominance. With Mr. Burgoyne onboard, XTI doubles down on its intent to compete at the intersection of autonomy, aerial mobility, and defense readiness. About XTI Aerospace, Inc. XTI Aerospace ( (Nasdaq: XTIA) is the parent company of XTI Aircraft Company, an aviation business based near Denver, Colorado, currently developing the TriFan 600, a fixed-wing business aircraft designed to have the vertical takeoff and landing ("VTOL") capability of a helicopter, maximum cruising speeds in excess of 300 mph and nearly 1000 miles of range, creating an entirely new category – the xVTOL. Additionally, the Inpixon ( business unit of XTI Aerospace is a leader in real-time location systems ("RTLS") technology with customers around the world who use the Company's location intelligence solutions in factories and other industrial facilities to help optimize operations, increase productivity, and enhance safety. For more information about XTI, please visit and follow XTI on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and YouTube. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including without limitation, statements about the products under development by XTI, the advantages of XTI's technology, and XTI's customers, plans and strategies are forward-looking statements. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including "believe," "continue," "could," "would," "will," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "target," "projects," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts, and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by XTI Aerospace and its management, are inherently uncertain, and many factors may cause the actual results to differ materially from current expectations. XTI undertakes no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the risk factors discussed from time to time in XTI's filings with the SEC, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2025, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. Contacts General inquiries:Email: contact@ Web: Investor Relations:Dave Gentry, CEORedChip Companies, 1-407-644-4256Email: XTIA@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE XTI Aerospace, Inc.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Kratos Defense Is Up Big Today
Drone stocks are in the spotlight Friday after the Pentagon chief said uncrewed aircraft are a priority. Investors buying in today need to be aware of the risks and focus on portfolio diversification instead of going all-in. 10 stocks we like better than Kratos Defense & Security Solutions › The U.S. government appears set to divert some of the billions in funding traditionally earmarked for fighter planes to drone manufacturers, and investors are excited about the opportunity. Shares of Kratos Defense & Security (NASDAQ: KTOS) traded up 13% as of 11 a.m. ET following a Pentagon memo stressing the need for more advanced uncrewed systems. Kratos Defense has been one of the more volatile stocks in the defense sector. The company has a steady business making electronics systems and target practice drones for the U.S. military, but investors have been more excited about the potential for its more advanced developments. Kratos has developed a number of "loyal wingman" drones designed to carry sophisticated weapons into battle alongside piloted F-35s, boosting firepower, confusing antiaircraft systems, and improving pilot survivability. One such design, the Valkyrie, has been in testing with the Air Force for years, but so far has not led to a full-production order. On Friday, Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth issued two memos calling for the U.S. government to prioritize drone development in order to keep pace with Russia and China. Though the memos do not speak of Kratos or any vendor specifically, investors are understandably reading into the memo that it could be good news for programs including the Valkyrie and others that Kratos has in its pipeline. Kratos shares are a near-double so far in 2025, and up 240% over the past five years. Based on the current book of business, the stock looks expensive for a defense stock. And after years of talk about an order without a signed contract, investors have every right to be skeptical. If the Valkyrie or a similar Kratos drone joins the Air Force fleet, the stock still has a lot of room to run. Investors buying in today need to understand the risks involved and make sure to keep this stock to a small part of a well-diversified portfolio. Before you buy stock in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $674,432!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,005,854!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,049% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 7, 2025 Lou Whiteman has positions in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Kratos Defense Is Up Big Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Spectator
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
I've got Donald Trump to thank for my unusual middle name
Never make a drunken bet. At about 3 a.m. one fateful morning, pre-pandemic and several bottles down, a friend and I made a wager on the outcome of the 2020 US election – he for Joe Biden, I for Donald Trump (who, at the time, looked like a sure thing). Then came lockdown, spiralling inflation and unemployment – and the rest is history. This wasn't a bet for money. Instead, it was stipulated that whoever lost would legally assume a new middle name. Being gamers of a certain vintage, we drew from the Nintendo canon. If my friend had lost, he'd have become James Edward Bowser Price. Should I lose, I would take on the middle name Waluigi. For the uninitiated, Waluigi is a decidedly second- or even third-tier baddie from Mario Kart, who wears dark blue dungarees and a purple hat. Having lost, I duly filled out the requisite paperwork and my friend came over to witness the deed poll being signed. Like Gandalf the White, I was reborn. No longer Madeline Mary Grant, but Madeline Mary Waluigi Grant. Being a woman of my word, there is no changing it back. Soon a passport renewal beckons and when I get married this weekend the vicar insists that, legally, the full name must be read out in church, which may prove a shock for my extended family, who don't yet know about this change of identity. As embarrassing as this may be, I do rather enjoy an unexpected or jarring middle name. Politics affords plenty: Keir Rodney Starmer, Mark Gino Francois, Richard Milhous Nixon. Some middle names are eerily prophetic. Unity Mitford had Valkyrie as hers. Coupled with the fact that she was conceived in Swastika, Ontario, nominative determinism begins to look undeniable. In terms of the politics of ordinary relationships, there is a perfect role for middle names as a sort of compromise zone. It is to the middle name you can demote a much-loved great-grandparent, schoolteacher or cat, still honouring them but without making your child walk around with a ridiculous name. It's not only an act of compromise with school bullies of the future, it's also an act of compromise with whoever has provided the other requisite slice of the chromosomes. You will have fond memories of Great Uncle Zerubbabel, but your significant other might not. A middle name is therefore the perfect compromise, preserving filial dignity and marital harmony. Should we have a son, my fiancé is agitating to inflict a variety of names on him. The current frontrunners are Banastre, Sacheverell or Chrysostom (after the most violent British commander of the US War of Independence, the clerical controversialist of the reign of Queen Anne and the great preacher of 4th-century Byzantium, respectively). I'm hoping for 'Edmund'. Happily, this is where middle names really show their utility. The real experts in this department were the Puritans, whose extreme derangement didn't stop at regicide. The already 'creatively' named Praise-God Barebone had a son whom he called Nicholas 'If-Jesus-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned-unless-Jesus-Christ-had-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned' Barebone. Must have been a nightmare for the school uniform nametapes.
Auto Car
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Pride of the Valkyries: inside Aston Martin's Le Mans 24hr return
Aston Martin returned to Le Mans' top tier after 14 years away and finished the race with plenty to feel positive about Open gallery Astons were up against Porsche, Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, BMW, Alpine… Valkyrie #007 came 14th, six laps down, and #009 finished 12th, four laps back Track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro tops 1000bhp; LMH racer is limited to 670bhp Aston Martin is in its first hypercar season; many rivals are in their third Basing the race car on the Valkyrie road car was not the easiest option Close Thanks to the glorious wail of a non-hybridised Cosworth V12, the pair of Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH racers sounded utterly glorious as they powered through the French countryside. So while the British firm was never going to win the Le Mans 24 Hours on its return to the endurance classic's top class for the first time in 14 years, it simply couldn't be ignored. There are no prizes for fielding the best-sounding cars on the grid but this year wasn't about trophies. It was about proving that a racing hypercar based on a road-going version could work. Some patience was always going to be required: the performance-balancing measures of Le Mans' current rules make it nearly impossible for a new team to be a contender straight away. Then again, Aston Martin has had to learn patience when it comes to Le Mans. The British marque first entered the race in 1928 but it wasn't until 1959 that Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby took victory in a DBR1/300. And it's still waiting for overall victory number two. There has been success at the Circuit de la Sarthe more recently. Aston Martin triumphed in the GT1 class with a DBR9 in 2007 and it has won the top GT class on four more occasions. But its most recent bid for outright victory came with the best-forgotten Lola-Aston Martin B09 project from 2009 until 2011. The current hypercar regulations in endurance racing's top flight have made Le Mans hugely appealing for manufacturers and this year Aston Martin joined a very full paddock. But by choosing to turn the Valkyrie into a Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), the British firm has made life hard for itself. It is the only entrant in the hypercar class to be based on a road-legal vehicle, and the Adrian Newey-designed 'Formula 1 car for the road' is so extreme the road car's engine had to be detuned and its aerodynamics blunted to fit the rules. Aston Martin could, like Ferrari, Toyota and Peugeot, have designed its LMH as a pure race car; or, like Porsche, BMW and Alpine, made life even easier by using a spec chassis and hybrid system as the basis for a cost-controlled Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) racer. But as Aston Martin endurance racing boss Adam Carter says: 'If we did that, it wouldn't be an Aston Martin.' 'We developed the Valkyrie because it was the ultimate hypercar,' adds Carter, who works for Aston Martin Performance Technologies, which is based alongside the F1 team. 'The Valkyrie was born to race; its foundations came from racing. Aston Martin is a sports car company. We build sports cars. And there's nothing better than when a sports car goes to race at Le Mans.' The Valkyrie's road to Le Mans hasn't been straightforward. In fact, it has taken four years longer than first planned. In a press conference to launch the forthcoming LMH rules at Le Mans in 2019, Aston joined Toyota in announcing that it would begin racing the Valkyrie in the 2020/2021 World Endurance Championship. The delay is partly because of Aston Martin's financial struggles, the takeover by Lawrence Stroll and a subsequent restructuring. But it's also because of changes in the hypercar rules. When the firm initially committed, the LMH rules were for cars based on road-going hypercars. But as part of an agreement to equalise performance between the World Endurance Championship LMH and LMDh cars, that requirement was dropped, prompting Aston Martin to scrap its plans. But the Le Mans 24 Hours has a way of pulling people in and the project was revived in October 2023 with the help of US-based motorsport team The Heart of Racing and manufacturing experts Multimatic. The race car was built and run by a squad consisting of staff from those firms. '[Aston Martin owner Lawrence] Stroll asked me about turning the Valkyrie into a hypercar so I went and looked at the regulations, spoke to officials and said: 'Yeah, absolutely it's possible.' But it's been a journey for everyone involved, including the regulatory bodies. A good journey, but a long journey,' says Carter. The base car is technically the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro, which shortcuts some of the development. But that car produces more than 1000bhp from its hybridised 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 Cosworth, whereas the LMH rules peg output at 670bhp. But as Carter says: 'The Valkyrie would not be the Valkyrie without that V12. It's absolutely the heart of the car.' He adds: 'It's got way more capacity than we need so we can run it very lean burn, and it's a great, efficient demonstration of future sustainable fuels.' So the hybrid element was ditched – anyway it drives the rear wheels on the road car yet LMH rules require it to power the front axle – and the Cosworth unit was effectively detuned, although Carter says that helps to offset any loss of torque resulting from the lack of electrification. The challenge of LMH is that to emphasise efficiency, the cars are essentially set torque-based energy output parameters that they must stick within. Hybrids can help with that, which perhaps explains why every hypercar on the grid bar the Aston Martin runs one. 'Every race car is a collection of compromises and always will be,' says Carter. 'Having a hybrid presents some opportunities around torque filling, but the V12 has a very high torque response. If you have a hybrid, you have to synchronise it with the combustion unit, whereas our response is all built into one unit.' The bodywork of the Valkyrie racer has also been revised to fit the LMH class's aero rules (remember, Newey's joy in crafting the Valkyrie was not having to work to a rulebook…) while also ensuring the bodywork at the front and rear met motorsport safety rules and could be quickly changed if required. The Heart of Racing has run a pair of Valkyries in both the IMSA and WEC series this year. The results haven't been spectacular, but they were never going to be because of the Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations. This is where the story gets a little tricky to tell, because the first rule of BoP is you don't talk about BoP. Okay, it's technically not the first rule, but race organisers want to keep the focus on the track rather than a verbal fight club in the paddock, so competitors are banned from moaning about BoP. But you can read between the lines, and because it is calculated on reference data and new entrants have none, they start with the worst possible BoP. The calculations for the high-speed Le Mans track are also done separately from other events. So the unspoken belief is that the Valkyrie should be more competitive next year when any BoP measures are based on actual past performance. But that's fine, because the team still needed to learn. The hypercar programme was deliberately staffed without impacting the ongoing GT project and Carter says: 'It's a learning year and we need to learn and refine our processes as a team. It's a new group of people with vast experience brought together. We need to learn the car, and about the regulations, and how to get the most out of the car. We've focused on race pace and reliability, but we need to learn more about one-lap pace. 'A number of our competitors have been through two cycles of learning, and they're now in their third. We're on our first. Our learning curve is steeper from theirs.' And there was more promise in the results than the numbers might suggest. Getting one of the Valkyries into the 'hyperpole' qualifying session for the top 15 cars was a mighty achievement, and in the race both cars ran reliably and consistently to 12th and 14th places, four and six laps down on the winning Ferrari respectively. But it was an unusual year, with relatively little attrition among the hypercars. The most important thing, though, is that Aston Martin was in the race and the unusual non-hybrid hypercar based on an actual road car held its own against bespoke competition. The concept has been proven and the future is bright. The current hypercar field is too large and deep to suggest that Aston is on track for that elusive second Le Mans victory, but it's undoubtedly closer than it has been for decades. And even if Aston Martin has to wait a few more years, we can enjoy that glorious engine note while it does. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
