MQ-58 Program Advances on Schedule
Marine Col. Dan Weber, the Unmanned Aerial Systems Branch Head, expressed confidence in the program's trajectory. "With the MUX TACAIR effort, I think we're meeting our testing goals. I would say that it's on track," Weber said. "From a funding and demand power perspective, I think we've got great support. We've got good partners. We've got good relationships right now to keep that program on track, and I expect that we're going to meet all of our milestones and goals."
The MQ-58 represents the Marine Corps' transition from experimental work with a small fleet of XQ-58s into a full program of record to acquire an operational platform. Kratos has partnered with Northrop Grumman to deliver these uncrewed aircraft under the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) program.
F-35 Integration and Force Multiplication
Marine Col. Thomas Bolen outlined the service's integration strategy for the new drones. "From the F-35 side, the vision ultimately is we want the F-35 to be a quarterback with CCAs as attritable mass, as enablers to ensure the MAGTAF can project power, the sensing, the lethality, and all of the intangibles that kind of go along with that," Bolen explained.
The Marine-specific Valkyrie variants will feature built-in landing gear while retaining rocket-assisted takeoff capabilities from static launchers. This dual capability maintains runway independence while expanding operational flexibility.
Bridge to Sixth-Generation Systems
Marine Col. Richard Rusnok, head of the Cunningham Group, emphasized the strategic importance of the program. "One of the main things in our portfolio that will be enduring and developing over the next couple years is man-unmanned teaming," Rusnok said. "We're laying the foundation for that with our first foray into Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the MQ-58."
Bolen positioned the CCA program as a stepping stone to future capabilities: "How we integrate with CCAs is going to be extremely important, and that will bridge us down the road to kind of the sixth-generation family of systems."
The Marine Corps' 2026 Aviation Plan presents the MQ-58 as a capability arriving in the 2026 to 2030 timeframe. The service expects the MQ-58 to be the first in a planned series of CCA "increments," potentially including different types of drones to deliver air-to-ground, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare capabilities.
Looking Beyond Current Programs
Marine Lt. Gen. William Swan, the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, revealed early exploration of sixth-generation crewed fighter concepts. "Last year's Aviation Plan didn't have six-gen on there, and I made the team put it on, because we need to think about that," Swan said.
The Marines are watching developments in the Air Force's F-47 program and the Navy's F/A-XX competition. Swan indicated the Marines would likely align with Navy requirements: "I think right now, if you had to say, 'hey, what is it going to look like?', I think it'll look a lot more like what the Navy's doing, because we still fly off the carriers, we're part of the Department of the Navy."
Path Forward
The Marine Corps' systematic approach to collaborative combat aircraft reflects a broader transformation in military aviation. With the MQ-58 program meeting milestones and the service planning for sixth-generation systems, the Marines are positioning themselves at the forefront of integrated air combat operations. The success of this bridge strategy will influence both Navy F/A-XX decisions and the broader evolution of manned-unmanned teaming across all services.
