The U.S. Army has acquired ten Valinor Condor unmanned aerial systems for flight testing and evaluation at the Arcane Thunder 26 exercise, according to an announcement by Valinor Enterprises released Tuesday. The procurement supports ongoing assessments of the platform’s performance in multi-domain operations, with UAS pilots from the U.S. Army Multi-Domain Task Force – Europe participating in hands-on evaluations during the event. Valinor Enterprises confirmed the delivery of the Condor systems, which are designed for high-altitude, long-endurance missions and capable of deploying sensor payloads and communication relays. The Arcane Thunder 26 exercise, held at a U.S. Military training site in Europe, focused on integrating emerging unmanned technologies into joint operational concepts, particularly in contested environments. During the exercise, Army UAS operators conducted flight tests involving the Condor’s autonomous navigation, payload integration, and high-altitude balloon deployment capabilities. These evaluations aimed to assess the system’s utility in persistent surveillance, network extension, and reconnaissance roles under realistic operational conditions. Valinor Enterprises stated that the Condor’s modular design allows for rapid reconfiguration of mission-specific equipment, including electro-optical/infrared sensors, electronic warfare packages, and communications nodes. The company emphasized that feedback from Army personnel during Arcane Thunder 26 will inform future refinements to the system’s software interfaces and flight control algorithms. The U.S. Army Multi-Domain Task Force – Europe, which operates under U.S. Army Europe and Africa, has been actively evaluating emerging unmanned systems to enhance its ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance across land, air, cyber, and space domains. Participation in Arcane Thunder 26 aligns with the task force’s mandate to test and validate new technologies in coordination with allied forces. No official timeline has been released for a formal decision on potential procurement beyond the current test phase. Valinor Enterprises noted that additional evaluation events are planned through the remainder of 2026, though specific dates and locations were not disclosed. The company confirmed that data collected during Arcane Thunder 26 is being processed for inclusion in a technical assessment report to be delivered to Army Futures Command.
U.S. Army Tests Valinor Condor UAVs at Arcane Thunder 26 for High-Altitude Balloon Deployment Capabilities
