Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. develops and fields technology, products, systems and software for defense, national security and global markets. News about KTOS commonly covers contract awards and program activity across Kratos Government Solutions and Unmanned Systems, including space ground systems, missile warning and tracking support, defense rocket systems, turbine technologies, microwave products and tactical unmanned aircraft.
Company updates also address financial results, bookings and guidance; production and test milestones for systems such as Firejet and Oriole; hypersonic materials-test infrastructure under Project Helios; completed acquisitions; and board or governance changes.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) secured multiple contracts totaling over $100 million to develop prototype space and cyber mission capabilities. The awards cover mission applications and cyber capabilities that provide space intelligence data for joint operations. Work includes collecting and processing radio frequency signals, developing intelligence on the operational environment and supporting the process of identifying, prioritizing and targeting assets.
The prototype systems will support electronic warfare and offensive cyber operations, including access and battle damage assessment. The contracts will use Kratos’ KnownSpace Network, its global radio frequency collection infrastructure, and field-portable KnownSpace Recon+ terminals. They will also draw on the company’s software, analytics and signal-processing and cybersecurity expertise.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) promoted Bill Wilson to president of its C5ISR Systems Division and corporate senior vice president.
The appointment is effective immediately. Wilson previously served as the division’s executive vice president and CFO. In his new role, he will oversee Kratos’ military-specification hardware and mobility systems business.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) and GE Aerospace (GE) reported a key milestone with the successful ignition test of the GEK800 turbofan cruise missile propulsion system at Kratos’ X-58 test facility. The Serial Number 1 engine ignited successfully, delivering a stated 100 percent success rate for this critical development phase and keeping the program on schedule.
Recently designated the F143, the GEK800 is designed to meet Department of War requirements for long-range, stand-off strike capabilities and to provide an affordable, high-performance cruise missile engine. The successful test validates the engine’s technological architecture, reliability and readiness for further integration and launches a new testing campaign. Kratos and GE Aerospace state that the program is aimed at enabling rapid capability deployment and lower lifecycle costs for the Department of War and allied prime contractors as they prepare for potential large-volume production.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) reported a successful mission of its Aegis Readiness Assessment Vehicle Type B (ARAV-B) ballistic missile target during the multinational Pacific Dragon 2026 exercise. The ARAV-B was launched on August 6 from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii as part of a U.S. 3rd Fleet-led ballistic missile defense event involving forces from the United States, Australia, Chile, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Spain and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
The two-stage, spin-stabilized ARAV-B, powered by Kratos’ commercial Oriole rocket motor, has now completed 43 successful target missions for U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency customers. Kratos highlighted its broader ballistic missile defense target family, including Type C and Type TTO configurations, which can support missions such as long-duration hypersonic testing at speeds above Mach 10.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS) announced a contract valued at more than $20 million to deliver mobile satellite communication (SATCOM) gateways for a defense customer in Asia. The turnkey system will include truck-mounted Trifold transportable antennas, a shelter with baseband platforms, and Kratos software such as Compass for network monitor-and-control and Monics for spectrum monitoring and interference detection. According to Kratos, the award enhances its position in transportable antennas and ground system technologies and expands its presence in the Asia-Pacific defense communications market.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS) announced it has received an approximate $35 million National Security-related, military-grade hardware production program award. The hardware and related systems produced and supported under this contract are expected to be in direct support of the warfighter in the field.
According to Kratos, work will be performed at a secure company facility, with no further contract details disclosed due to customer and national security considerations. The award relates to Kratos’ C5ISR business and aligns with the company’s large-scale production activities across hypersonics, counter‑UAS, air defense, missiles, radars, and high-powered directed energy systems in support of U.S. and allied national security priorities.
Kratos Defense (Nasdaq: KTOS) is allocating part of its expanded Spartan engine production capacity to supply TDI-J85 (J85) engines for Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) program. The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Boeing a $75 million Undefinitized Contract Action to acquire the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit JDAM LR, a precision-guided munition capable of traveling over 300 nautical miles with a 500‑pound payload.
Kratos’ J85 engine has been selected as the propulsion source for JDAM LR. The engines are produced at Kratos’ 22,500‑square‑foot Propulsion Manufacturing Facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan, which is fully operational and set up for sustained full‑rate production. Kratos has begun procuring long‑lead components for Spartan engines to support a large multi‑customer production run in 2027 and is executing a three‑phase manufacturing infrastructure plan to further expand capacity and responsiveness for U.S. and allied defense customers.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) announced that its newly acquired subsidiary Orbit Communication Systems received multi-million-dollar orders from multiple international customers for GAIA 100 Tri-Band 5.5-meter and 6.1-meter ground station systems. The systems support Earth Observation, New Space and satellite communications missions.
Alongside the orders, Orbit introduced the GAIA 100 Tri-Band 6.1, featuring higher gain, improved link margins and enhanced Ka-band tracking using Auto Track technology and an integrated Radome for low-maintenance, long-term operation. Kratos acquired Orbit in March 2026, which, according to Kratos, expands its SATCOM, tracking and communications management portfolio and strengthens its ability to provide integrated, end-to-end communications and mission solutions for defense, national security and space customers.
Elroy Air, a U.S. developer of autonomous heavy‑cargo drones, announced a $46 million multi‑year contract with the U.S. Army to develop an autonomous hybrid‑electric VTOL uncrewed aircraft system for modular multi‑mission payload delivery.
The program will enhance the Chaparral drone’s payload versatility, delivery mechanisms and battlefield-enabling technologies, including expeditionary mission planning, cyber‑protected communications, GPS‑denied navigation, elevated autonomy and reliable field operation. Elroy Air plans to begin U.S. manufacturing of Chaparral this year via an exclusive partnership with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (Nasdaq: KTOS). The company has also signed a definitive business combination agreement with Columbus Circle Capital Corp II (Nasdaq: CMII), to be renamed Inflection Point Acquisition Corp VII (Nasdaq: IPXG), under which Elroy Air would become a publicly traded company, with a draft Form S‑4 registration statement confidentially submitted to the SEC.
Kratos Defense (Nasdaq: KTOS) reported that a missionized US Marine Corps Valkyrie Collaborative Combat Aircraft successfully demonstrated electronic warfare and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) command and control at a U.S. Navy test range in southern California in April 2026. The runway-independent Valkyrie launched from a zero-length launcher, validated a BLOS datalink, and handed off control from a Kratos ground station to an Autonodyne A-GRA-compliant interface, enabling USMC operators to control the aircraft over BLOS while flying with USMC F-35s and an F/A-18.
Kratos said the Valkyrie autonomously returned to its recovery point and that this is the fourth new mission system configuration flown on USMC Valkyries in under three years. The company expects to produce over 150 Group 5 unmanned jets in 2026 and is scaling toward approximately 40 Valkyries annually, supported by significant internally funded investments. Kratos also highlighted its role with Northrop Grumman on the USMC’s MUX TACAIR CCA program, with the first prototype Valkyrie air vehicle on track for completion in summer 2026.