Chairman Tom Cole and Senator James Lankford Joins AIA, Kratos at Valkyrie Production Facility in Oklahoma City, for Roundtable to Advance Supply Chain Policy Priorities
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), on August 28 hosted a high-level roundtable at Kratos' Oklahoma City aircraft production facility, bringing leaders from across the aerospace and defense supply chain and Congress together to discuss policy priorities shaping the future of the industry. The event featured Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee who also represents key aerospace and defense installations in Oklahoma's fourth congressional district and Senator James Lankford (R-OK).
"Chairman Cole and Senator Lankford's engagements are a powerful reminder that policymakers want to hear directly from industry—and that together, we can shape smart and effective policies that strengthen America's aerospace capabilities," said Eric Fanning, AIA President & CEO. "Chairman Cole is a long-time champion of on time and sufficient federal funding that provides companies with the certainty they need to deliver for both the warfighter and the American people."
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, "Kratos is proud to contribute to the defense industrial base from our aircraft factory in Oklahoma, where we are building and delivering uncrewed jet aircraft systems and supporting jobs across the state and the national supply chain. The progress we've made in Oklahoma would not be possible without the leadership, partnership, and commitment of leaders like Chairman Cole and Senator Lankford. Their engagement in today's AIA roundtable at our facility underscores the vital role Oklahoma plays in strengthening our national defense, and we are deeply grateful for their continued support."
"The aerospace and defense supply chain industries are vital to American innovation – driving our economy, strengthening our national security by protecting our skies, and ensuring the United States remains a leader on the world stage. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the representative for key defense bases and installations in Oklahoma, I have learned this first-hand. Therefore, throughout my time in Congress, sustained congressional funding for this industry has been a priority of mine, as I recognize it as not only an investment in our economy, but also in the safety, defense, and future of our nation," said Congressman Cole. "I would like to thank the Aerospace Industries Association and Kratos for hosting this roundtable today, as it provided an important forum to discuss these critical issues, especially during this time of uncertainty on the world stage."
Kratos' Oklahoma City unmanned aircraft manufacturing facility is fully operational with two major drone aircraft systems in rate production, plus prototype production of a third system. The Kratos Oklahoma City unmanned aircraft manufacturing facility is home to the XQ-58A Valkyrie, a high-performance collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) capable of long-range flights at high-subsonic speeds, currently under contract with multiple Department of Defense customers. The MQM-178 Firejet, which first rolled off the production line in Oklahoma in April 2019 and is produced in high quantities monthly/annually today, in both a target and tactical system configuration, is also produced at the Kratos Oklahoma manufacturing facility. Kratos is also in prototype production of an additional, high performance tactical drone system at the Oklahoma facility.
Including production at the Oklahoma City facility, Kratos today manufactures approximately 150 high-performance, jet-powered tactical and target drone systems annually, with the established infrastructure, supply chain, partners, vendors, and sub-contractors in place, and able to rapidly, significantly increase annual production as required.
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers' mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading-edge approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or technology, with Kratos' approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low-cost future manufacturing which is a value add competitive differentiator for our large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high and any investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos' comfort level. Kratos' primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to a variety of matters including, without limitation, Kratos' expectations regarding the use of the proceeds from the public offering, the pipeline for opportunities, and Kratos' success with respect to such opportunities, as well as other statements that are not purely statements of historical fact. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements including, but not limited to: risks and uncertainties related to market conditions as well as general economic factors. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 29, 2024 and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Kratos.
Press Contact:
Claire Burghoff
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