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Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works program has revealed a new and highly flexible drone, Vectis, that they say is “creating a new paradigm for air power”.
Lockheed Martin’s advanced development program, Skunk Works, has unveiled Vectis, a new collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) that aims to fly within the next two years. Lockheed says the CCA is a highly effective and resourceful drone that will “advance unparalleled air dominance” for US and allied markets.
Similar to the Australian made, manufactured and flown MQ-28 Ghost Bat, Vectis prioritises speed, altitude and advanced manufacturing to enhance the safety and efficiency of the uncrewed drone.
“Vectis is the culmination of our expertise in complex systems integration, advanced fighter development and autonomy,” said OJ Sanchez, Skunk Works vice president and general manager.
Despite not commenting on the specific speed, weight or power capabilities of the drone, Sanchez told reporters that “our operational analysis doesn’t point towards supersonic”. However, he added that Vectis is “compatible with fifth and next-gen aircraft”.
Skunk Works, the tight-lipped design, research and development sector of Lockheed Martin, has “decades of experience leveraging speed, altitude, shape, advanced materials”, which they say is reflected in Vectis’ design.
While still being in the initial stages of prototype development, Skunk Works said Vectis will be capable of precise strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance targeting and defensive counter missions. Created for the changing contemporary nature of aerial combat, features such as altering payloads and enhancing operations for irregular deployment can be calibrated and fine-tuned for optimisation and resource efficiency.
“We’ll work closely to listen with any individual customers and go from there on their operations choice, but the flexibility is built in,” Sanchez said.
Skunk Works said Vectis’ primary manufacturing features are delivering the best CCA class survivability through stealth, use specific and efficient engineering techniques to increase affordability, and being built to prioritise open systems.
“We’re not simply building a new platform – we’re creating a new paradigm for air power based on a highly capable, customisable and affordable agile drone framework,” Sanchez said.
Vectis’ initial simulations and operational analysis point to similarities with Lockheed’s existing F-22 and F-35 jets, which have highly efficient speed and climb rates to address modern warfare scenarios.
“We’re building in that kind of autonomy, that flexible autonomy, if you will, so that we can work with more countries, more partners, to really listen to what their needs are,” Sanchez added.
“Now we’ll go out and build it, and we’ll work to prove in the open air.”
