The U.S. Marine Corps has
begun flying its stealthy Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie drones, making it the
second known operator of the type beyond the U.S. Air Force. The Marines now
plan to evaluate the drones as highly autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance
assets, electronic warfare platforms, and wingmen for crewed fighters, including
in kinetic roles. Whether or not the Marines ultimately pursue the XQ-58, or a
variant or derivative thereof, as an operational platform remains to be seen.
However, its design specifically does have attributes that would be incredibly
attractive for the service, especially its runway independence and its readily
deployable nature.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Army's M1 Abrams tanks will "not
be effective" on the battlefields of the 2040s, especially in the context of a
potential high-end conflict against China. The type’s relevance will begin to
erode far before that date, as well. This is the conclusion of an official
advisory body that is also calling for an Abrams replacement effort that could
include a next-generation M1 derivative, as well as lighter 'tanks' armed with
larger caliber guns and hypersonic anti-tank missiles, and uncrewed ground
vehicles. You can read more about the advisory body’s report on the M1, as well
as the Army’s future plans for the Abrams, in
this in-depth article.
We are also continuing our rolling coverage of the
conflict in Ukraine as it develops, which can be found daily at The
War Zone. You can also check out highlights of all our coverage from
the last week below.
--
Oliver Parken
The War
Zone
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