Kratos Defense and Security has recently announced that its low-visibility unmanned aerial vehicle, Thanatos, successfully completed its maiden flight. However, due to the classified nature of the project, the company did not disclose the exact date, only stating that the event occurred within the past few months. The primary objective of the test flight was to validate the aircraft’s basic aerodynamic design for airworthiness. With this initial milestone achieved, Kratos is now focusing on testing a fully integrated system onboard the Thanatos to advance the next stages of development.
“We’re not trying to determine if the aircraft can fly; we’re now focused on whether the integrated system can successfully perform its mission,” Kratos stated.
Little is known about the Thanatos drone. Although its development was first reported in 2019, a 3D rendering of the aircraft wasn’t revealed until November 2023, when it appeared in the company’s financial report. Alongside the rendering, Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco noted, “Among the new capabilities we are exploring, we are in discussions with a customer and hope to finalize a contract next year for additional Kratos tactical unmanned systems, including Thanatos.”
A year later, the identity of the customer remains undisclosed, though it is likely the U.S. Air Force. This assumption is supported by the rendering, which features USAF and Kratos markings, similar to other projects the company has pitched to the Air Force in the past. These include the Demogorgon, developed for the OBSS (Off-Board Sensing Station) contract.
It would make sense for Kratos to position the Thanatos as a candidate for the CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) program, which aims to integrate NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) systems with a fleet of 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles. These drones, often referred to as “wingmen,” are typically characterized by supersonic speeds and advanced stealth capabilities.
According to the visualization, the drone is a single-engine, tailless aircraft with a diamond-shaped wing that reduces aerodynamic drag. The aircraft also has many stealth mode features, such as mixed air intakes, a “spade-shaped” nose design, and a recessed engine exhaust to reduce infrared radiation.
Although little is known about the Thanatos, its development is clearly on the right track to being adopted as a means of network-centric warfare in the future. Kratos has stated that it is very interested in the second version of the CCA, which will be designed to enhance the performance of 5th generation aircraft and 4th generation aircraft on-board systems, and will be “focused on electronic warfare.”
Kratos has extensive experience in developing advanced drones, as demonstrated by its previous projects, including the XQ-58A Valkyrie. Currently undergoing testing with the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps, the Valkyrie is capable of performing surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions over long distances. It is expected to serve as an unmanned escort or loyal wingman for manned fighter aircraft.
One notable advantage of the XQ-58 Valkyrie is its independence from traditional runways. It remains unclear whether the Thanatos will feature similar capabilities, but such functionality seems plausible given Kratos’ design expertise.
Source: theaviationist
