Kratos Forms Strategic Partnership with Korean Industry Leader to Advance Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Rhea-AI Summary

Kratos (Nasdaq: KTOS) announced a strategic partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to advance manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) technologies and capabilities.

The collaboration will focus on joint research, system integration, and scalable MUM-T applications such as autonomous loyal wingmen, distributed sensing, and collaborative strike missions, and will evaluate co-development, production, and export opportunities aligned with U.S. and allied defense requirements.

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a leading technology company in the defense, national security, and global markets, today announced the formation of a strategic partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), a major Korean defense organization to advance Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) technologies and capabilities.

The collaboration builds on Kratos’ deep experience in affordable, high-performance tactical unmanned aerial systems—including the XQ-58A Valkyrie, Mako, and Tactical Firejet—and KAI’s aerospace technologies. Together, the organizations will work to integrate complementary systems and expertise to accelerate the development of interoperable, next-generation MUM-T solutions that enhance joint force readiness and operational flexibility.

“This partnership represents the next step in evolving how crewed and uncrewed aircraft operate together in contested environments,” said Steve Fendley, President of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division. “By combining Kratos’ proven autonomous jet systems with KAI’s advanced technologies, we are expanding the boundaries of affordable mass and collaborative combat capability for U.S. and allied forces.”

“Kratos has long believed that strategic international partnerships are key to ensuring readiness and deterrence through innovation,” said Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos. “Our collaboration with KAI, a world-class Korean organization, underscores our shared commitment to developing advanced, interoperable defense technologies that strengthen allied capability, resilience, and industrial cooperation.”

The strategic partnership will focus on joint research, system integration, and evolution of scalable MUM-T applications, including autonomous loyal wingmen, distributed sensing, and collaborative strike missions, all focused on affordable mass. Kratos and KAI will also evaluate opportunities for technology co-development, production, and export in alignment with U.S. and allied defense requirements.

About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. 
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers’ mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or technology, with Kratos’ approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low-cost future manufacturing which is a value-add competitive differentiator for our large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high and any investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos’ comfort level. Kratos’ primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 29, 2024, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Kratos.

Press Contact:
Claire Cantrell
claire.cantrell@kratosdefense.com

Investor Information:
877-934-4687
investor@kratosdefense.com

FAQ

What did Kratos (KTOS) announce on October 27, 2025 about KAI?

Kratos announced a strategic partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries to collaborate on MUM-T technologies, system integration, and potential co-development and export opportunities.

How will the Kratos and KAI partnership affect Kratos' MUM-T programs (KTOS)?

The partnership aims to accelerate interoperable MUM-T solutions by combining Kratos' autonomous jet systems with KAI aerospace technologies for joint research and integration.

What MUM-T capabilities will Kratos and KAI prioritize under the KTOS partnership?

They will prioritize autonomous loyal wingmen, distributed sensing, collaborative strike missions, and scalable affordable mass applications.

Will the Kratos (KTOS) and KAI collaboration include production and exports?

Kratos and KAI said they will evaluate opportunities for technology co-development, production, and export consistent with U.S. and allied defense requirements.

Does the KTOS announcement include financial terms or binding contracts with KAI?

No financial terms or binding contract values were disclosed in the announcement.

Which Kratos platforms are cited as part of the KTOS partnership capabilities?

The announcement references Kratos tactical unmanned platforms including the XQ-58A Valkyrie, Mako, and Tactical Firejet.