Navy Orders 65 Production BQM-177A Aerial Target Drones from Kratos

The Navy’s newest subsonic aerial target, BQM-177A, conducts a training test flight from USS Barry (DDG-52) Sept. 9, 2021, off the coast of Japan. *U.S. NAVY*

SAN DIEGO — Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. announced Dec. 28 that its division Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems has been awarded a $50.1 million contract modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option to procure 65 BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Targets.

The order includes 50 for the Navy, seven for Japan and eight for Saudi Arabia, as well as associated technical and administrative data in support of full rate production lot three. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

“The Kratos team is incredibly proud to receive this third consecutive full-rate production option award supporting our U.S. Navy customer,” said Steve Fendley, president of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division. “We are also excited that 15 of these drone aircraft will support the U.S. government’s foreign allies. Throughout the challenges of the last two years, Kratos has remained focused on developing, producing, and delivering target and tactical drone systems to support the established and forecasted customer needs.”