Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has introduced Vectis, a Group 5 collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) designed as a stealth combat drone to enhance survivability and provide advanced mission capabilities for U.S. and allied forces. The company says the new system combines its experience in fighter aircraft, autonomous systems and open mission architectures to deliver an affordable, highly adaptable drone framework.
“Vectis is the culmination of our expertise in complex systems integration, advanced fighter development and autonomy,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, in a release.
According to Lockheed Martin, Vectis is built to integrate with current and next-generation aircraft to advance the U.S. military’s Family of Systems vision for air dominance. The platform is capable of precision strike, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and both offensive and defensive counter air missions.
The aircraft will feature endurance ranges compatible with Indo-Pacific, European and Central Command theaters, and will be able to connect across domains in either standalone or team operations with crewed aircraft such as the F-35.
Skunk Works said the design incorporates stealth features developed over decades, digital engineering techniques to manage cost and speed, and open systems to ensure compatibility with government reference architectures.
The company has already begun development, with parts ordered and teams executing builds. Officials stated Vectis is intended to achieve first flight within two years, with a goal of providing “class-leading survivability in an agile, multi-role package” at a CCA price point.
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