Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Unveils Vectis: Next-Gen Autonomous Combat Drone
Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division has revealed Vectis, a cutting-edge autonomous combat drone designed for air superiority missions. This Group 5 Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) is set to take its first flight within two years, operating solo, in swarms, or as a loyal wingman to 5th and 6th generation fighter jets.
Vectis is engineered to excel in contested environments, delivering high survivability and lethality. It is built to align with Government Reference Architectures, ensuring open systems and avoiding vendor lock. The drone is designed for long-endurance, high-altitude missions with global reach, compatible with Indo-Pacific, European, and Central Command theatres.
Vectis can execute a wide range of missions, including precision strike, ISR targeting, electronic warfare, and offensive/defensive counter air, providing multi-domain connectivity. It seamlessly integrates with 5th and next-gen aircraft, advancing the Family of Systems vision for next-gen air dominance.
Lockheed Martin is leveraging its decades of experience in stealth advancement to deliver best-in-class survivability for Vectis. The company aims to deliver the drone with high-end survivability and mission systems capability at aggressive cost targets, designing, building, and flying within two years. The competitive CCA price point is achieved through advanced manufacturing and digital engineering techniques.
Vectis, with its advanced capabilities and competitive pricing, is poised to strengthen the air dominance capabilities of US and allied forces. Its first flight within two years marks an exciting step towards its operational deployment in various theatres worldwide.
