The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has shed light on the importance of drones in modern warfare. The Ukrainian military has successfully utilized low-cost drones against the powerful Russian military, prompting the United States to follow suit in integrating drones into its future warfare strategies. The US Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kathleen Hicks, recently announced ambitious plans to deploy thousands of drones within the next two years. This move is aimed at countering China's numerical advantage in personnel and military hardware. Beijing's strength lies in its mass, with more ships, missiles, and people.

The US plans to counter this mass with its own, but with the added advantage of being harder to plan for, hit, and beat. In line with this objective, the US Air Force is actively working on building a new generation of AI drones. The goal is to produce these drones at a cost of approximately $3 million each, a fraction of the cost of advanced fighter aircraft. This cost-efficiency has led the Air Force to refer to the program as "affordable mass." One notable drone in development is the XQ-58A Valkyrie. Designed and manufactured by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, the Valkyrie is an experimental stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) under the US Air Force's Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program. It boasts a compact, single-engine configuration with a sleek blended wing-body design, and is equipped with various sensors, including radar and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras.

The Valkyrie can also carry a range of weapons, such as air-to-air missiles and bombs. The LCASD program aims to accelerate UCAV production and reduce costs by leveraging advanced design tools and commercial manufacturing techniques. The XQ-58A is specifically designed to act as a loyal wingman, accompanying manned fighter jets on combat sorties and performing tasks such as reconnaissance, defensive maneuvers, and absorbing enemy fire. Impressively, the XQ-58A has a maximum launch weight of 6,000 lb and a top speed of Mach 0.72. It boasts a range of over 2,500 miles, an endurance of more than 10 hours, and an operational ceiling of up to 45,000 ft. Furthermore, it can be built at a relatively low cost, with a unit cost of $4 million and the potential to drop to $2 million if manufacturing exceeds 100 airframes per year.

One of the key advantages of the XQ-58A Valkyrie is its status as a low-cost, expendable asset. This makes it ideal for high-risk missions, such as air defense operations. The design also prioritizes ease of repair and replacement. While still in the developmental phase, the XQ-58A Valkyrie has the potential to revolutionize the US Air Force's approach to warfare. Its affordability, stealth capabilities, high speed, and altitude capabilities position it as a significant asset in future conflicts. The XQ-58A Valkyrie represents a significant advancement in unmanned combat aerial vehicles. Its combination of cost-efficiency, stealth design, high speed, and altitude capabilities positions it as a potential game-changer in future conflicts.