Kratos continues low-rate production of BQM-177A target drones

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. is continuing with low-rate initial production of a new subsonic aerial target designed to help U.S. Navy aircraft and surface warship crews learn to defeat enemy cruise missiles. Officials of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced a $24.4 million order to the Kratos Unmanned Systems Division in Sacramento, Calif. (formerly Composite Engineering Inc.), for low-rate initial production (LRIP) of 30 BQM-177A subsonic aerial targets. The BQM-177A is the Navy’s next-generation subsonic aerial target (SSAT), which is designed to mimic the behaviors and radar cross sections of dynamic, high-subsonic, sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles to help naval personnel practice air-to-air engagements. In November 2016, Kratos Unmanned Systems officials announced they had achieved the final development program milestone for the BQM-177A target drone leading up to low-rate initial production. Last June, Kratos began LRIP on the BQM-177A with a Navy order for 45 of the high-performance target drones.