Just over a year ago, state leaders joined executives from Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the ribbon cutting of the company’s new 100,000 square foot unmanned aircraft production facility in Oklahoma City. Six months later, the company unveiled the first MQM-178 Firejet target drone aircraft produced at the facility and announced that the Oklahoma City facility will also be the future home of the XQ-58A Valkyrie. Production of the first Valkyrie is expected to begin in early 2020.
Fast forward another six months and Kratos continues to bring more news to Oklahoma City. Kratos Senior Vice President Jeff Herro recently said that all of the company’s tactical drones will be manufactured in Oklahoma City.
“This is going to be Kratos Defense and Security Systems’ tactical drone center of excellence,” Herro said. “And if it’s going to be tactical, it’s going to be built here.”
The company has the option to expand its production facility in Oklahoma City by more than 260,000 square feet.
“In the future as Kratos expands its product lines, the company expects to use the OKC facility for the production of new tactical UAVs,” said Claire Burghoff, a Kratos spokeswoman.
