Taiwan, Kratos integrate system payload into Mighty Hornet IV UAV

The Mighty Hornet IV was displayed at TADTE 2025. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)

A custom payload and mission system has been integrated into Taiwan's Mighty Hornet IV unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is being jointly developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions as an affordable cruise missile.

Based on the Kratos MQM-178 Firejet target drone, the Mighty Hornet IV will have a future role as a precision strike and high-speed anti-ship weapon.

The integration of the payload and mission system into the attack UAV required “months of planning, design, and subsystem tests” in our respective facilities in Taiwan and the United States, Kratos said on 5 February. “The team successfully tested and validated the NCSIST-provided payload/mission system to confirm its operational capability with the Mighty Hornet IV aircraft without revisions to the design,” the company added.

According to Kratos, the milestone establishes the baseline for flight testing later in 2026. The “NCSIST technical team traveled to Kratos' Oklahoma city design and production facility to finalise the requirement set and design this week,” Kratos said.

The MQM-178's high-speed capabilities, including a speed of Mach 0.8, high g manoeuvring, and a service ceiling of greater than 35,000 feet, led to its adoption as a combat platform, according to Kratos. “Recent demonstrations showcased the MQM-178's reliability and adaptability, reinforcing its role in Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) and loitering munition scenarios and validating its impressive flight characteristics,” the company said.