Taiwan, Kratos Successfully Test Mighty Hornet IV Attack Drone
Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and US firm Kratos have successfully tested the integrated Mighty Hornet IV attack uncrewed aerial vehicle.
The test validated the NCSIST-provided payload and mission system’s operational capability with the Mighty Hornet IV drone without requiring design revisions, following a series of planning, design, and subsystem evaluations.
It also established the baseline that will be used for the drone’s scheduled flight test later this year, while reinforcing the partnership’s goal of mass-producing the Mighty Hornet IV systems in Taiwan, which will serve both as a deterrent and for operational deployment.
The successful testing validates the technical approach and the two teams’ collaborative effort, noted Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division.
“This is a springboard for not only the Mighty Hornet IV effort, but also potential additional collaborative efforts with other Kratos aircraft and NCSIST systems and technologies,” he added.
Mighty Hornet IV
Unveiled at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV attack UAV was built from the MQM-178 Firejet target platform.
The MQM-178 has proven reliability and adaptability in demonstrations, including roles in manned-unmanned teaming and loitering munition scenarios.
In its modified version, the Mighty Hornet IV can be reconfigured as a reconnaissance, decoy, attack, or target drone.
It features a speed of Mach 0.8 (980 kilometers/610 miles per hour), a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), and a service ceiling of more than 35,000 feet (10,670 meters).
