Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and US-based Kratos have completed a successful test of the integrated Mighty Hornet IV attack uncrewed aerial vehicle.
The trial confirmed that the NCSIST-developed payload and mission systems functioned effectively with the Mighty Hornet IV platform without requiring any design modifications. This followed extensive planning, system design work, and subsystem evaluations.
The test also established a performance baseline for a full flight demonstration scheduled later this year. In addition, it reinforced the partners’ objective of mass-producing the Mighty Hornet IV in Taiwan to support both deterrence and operational missions.
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division, stated that the successful demonstration validates both the technical strategy and the strong collaboration between the two organizations.
Mighty Hornet IV
The Mighty Hornet IV was unveiled at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition in September 2025. The attack UAV is derived from the MQM-178 Firejet target drone platform.
The MQM-178 has demonstrated reliability and flexibility in multiple roles, including manned-unmanned teaming and loitering munition operations.
In its adapted configuration, the Mighty Hornet IV can be configured for reconnaissance, decoy, strike, or target missions. It has a top speed of Mach 0.8 (980 km/h or 610 mph), a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), and an operational ceiling exceeding 35,000 feet (10,670 meters).
