DefenseLockheed Martin Skunk Works unveils Vectis collaborative combat drone
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has introduced the Vectis, a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) designed to strengthen air dominance capabilities for the US military and allied nations. The announcement took place ahead of the annual Air and Space Forces Association conference in Washington, DC.
The Vectis is presented as a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of integrating with fifth-generation and future manned aircraft, including platforms such as the F-35. According to Lockheed Martin, the system leverages the company’s experience with combat aircraft, autonomous systems, and open mission architectures.
Designed with a modular and customizable framework, Vectis is intended to perform a wide range of missions. These include precision strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, air-to-air and defensive operations. The UAV can be deployed independently or operate in conjunction with manned assets, offering multi-domain connectivity.
Lockheed Martin highlights that advanced stealth features are a core element of the Vectis, targeting high survivability in contested environments. The company also states that manufacturing and digital engineering techniques will be applied to optimize costs, and the design aims to avoid supplier lock-in by aligning with government reference architectures.
With a development timeline targeting design, assembly, and first flight within two years, Skunk Works is investing resources to ensure survivability and mission effectiveness. The initiative reflects growing demand for flexible, resilient drone systems as air forces adapt to evolving operational requirements.
In parallel, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is evaluating two CCA drones: the YFQ-42A, supplied by General Atomics, and the YFQ-44A, developed by Anduril. Both have stealth characteristics and will be used as wingmen for manned fighters.
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