Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has unveiled “Ragnarök,” a new low-cost cruise missile designed to integrate with its XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The system aims to provide a scalable and affordable precision-strike capability optimized for high-threat environments where traditional munitions may be too expensive or vulnerable.
Ragnarök: A New Breed of Attritable Cruise Missile
Announced at the 2025 Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference and further detailed in Kratos’ October 2025 press release, the Ragnarök is described as a “low-cost cruise missile system” that leverages commercial manufacturing techniques and modular design. While exact specifications remain classified or under wraps, Kratos emphasized that Ragnarök is designed to be attritable—meaning it is inexpensive enough to be used in large numbers without significant strategic cost if lost.
The missile is reportedly subsonic and optimized for integration with the XQ-58A Valkyrie platform. It is expected to carry a conventional warhead suitable for precision strike against fixed or relocatable targets such as radar installations, command posts, or logistics hubs. The system appears to fill a niche between traditional standoff weapons like the AGM-158 JASSM and smaller glide bombs or loitering munitions.
Designed for the XQ-58A Valkyrie Ecosystem
The Ragnarök is purpose-built to operate from Kratos’ own XQ-58A Valkyrie—a stealthy, long-range UCAV developed under the U.S. Air Force’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) program. The Valkyrie has been tested extensively since 2019 and has demonstrated autonomous operations including formation flight with crewed aircraft like the F-22 and F-35.
By pairing an expendable cruise missile with an attritable launch platform like the Valkyrie, Kratos envisions a force-multiplying effect—allowing commanders to deploy deep-strike capabilities without risking high-value assets. This approach aligns with emerging U.S. Air Force doctrine emphasizing distributed operations and massed effects through affordable platforms.
According to Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco during his AFA remarks, “Ragnarök represents an inflection point in how we think about strike capability—not just survivability but affordability at scale.”
Operational Role: Stand-In Strike in Contested Environments
The primary mission profile of Ragnarök appears to be stand-in strike—penetrating contested airspace alongside manned-unmanned teams or ahead of them to suppress enemy air defenses (SEAD), disrupt command-and-control nodes (C2), or destroy time-sensitive targets.
This role becomes particularly relevant in Pacific theater scenarios where adversary anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems such as China’s S-400/S-500 equivalents pose significant challenges to legacy strike platforms. By launching from forward-deployed UCAVs like the Valkyrie operating from austere bases or even maritime platforms, Ragnarök could extend operational reach without requiring carrier-based aircraft or risking stealth bombers.
- Range: Estimated between 500–1,000 km based on open-source analysis of size/form factor
- Guidance: Likely GPS/INS with potential terminal seeker options (EO/IR or passive RF)
- Warhead: Conventional HE fragmentation; modular payloads possible
- Launch Platform: Internal bay of XQ-58A; potential compatibility with other UAVs in future
A Response to Strategic Budget Constraints
The development of Ragnarök reflects broader trends in U.S. defense acquisition strategy—specifically a pivot toward affordability and scalability amid rising costs of legacy systems. With programs like JASSM costing upwards of $1 million per unit and limited inventories available for sustained conflict scenarios, there is growing demand for cheaper alternatives that can be produced at scale.
This aligns with statements from senior USAF leaders advocating for “mass over exquisite” capabilities—emphasizing volume production of good-enough systems rather than relying solely on high-end precision weapons. In this context, Ragnarök could serve as both a war reserve stockpile solution and an operational workhorse during prolonged engagements against peer adversaries.
The use of additive manufacturing techniques and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components reportedly enables rapid production cycles—a key requirement under Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts being tested by Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
A Modular Path Forward: Future Variants Under Consideration
While initial versions are focused on kinetic strike missions launched from the Valkyrie UCAV platform, Kratos has hinted at future variants including electronic warfare payloads or decoy configurations. This would mirror developments seen in Raytheon’s MALD-J family or Northrop Grumman’s Gray Wolf concept.
If modularity proves viable at scale—and if software-defined architecture allows rapid reconfiguration—Ragnarök could evolve into a multi-role munition suite capable of jamming radars one day and striking targets the next. Such flexibility would dramatically increase its utility across joint force operations.
Pentagon Interest Likely But Not Yet Confirmed
No formal procurement contracts have been announced yet by the Department of Defense; however, given Kratos’ close ties with AFRL programs such as Skyborg and its history supporting DARPA initiatives like Gremlins and Offboard Sensing Station (OBSS), some level of government interest seems likely.
Skepticism Around Effectiveness vs Peer Defenses
Critics may question whether low-cost cruise missiles can survive modern integrated air defense networks operated by China or Russia without advanced countermeasures such as stealth shaping or EW support. However, proponents argue that saturation tactics—enabled by low unit costs—could overwhelm defenses through sheer volume rather than individual survivability.
Conclusion: Toward Affordable Massed Strike Capability
The unveiling of Ragnarök signals another step toward realizing affordable massed effects through manned-unmanned teaming strategies. As peer threats grow more sophisticated—and defense budgets face increasing pressure—the ability to field large numbers of capable but expendable munitions will likely become central to future airpower doctrine.
If successfully integrated into USAF concepts like Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) fleets alongside NGAD fighters—or deployed independently via autonomous swarms—Ragnarök may offer a glimpse into how tomorrow’s wars will be fought: not just with fewer exquisite platforms but many smart enough ones flying together toward shared objectives.
