Kristen Smith
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has introduced Vectis, a Group 5 survivable and lethal collaborative combat aircraft designed to advance air dominance for U.S. and allied militaries.
Lockheed Vectis Features, Capabilities
Vectis is engineered to integrate with fifth-generation and future aircraft, supporting the Department of Defense’s Family of Systems vision for next-generation air dominance, Lockheed said Sunday. It uses common control systems such as the MDCX to ensure compatibility across the command and control spectrum.
The system is designed to execute multiple mission profiles, including precision strike; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance targeting; electronic warfare; and offensive and defensive counter-air operations. Vectis provides multi-domain connectivity, operating either independently or in teamed missions alongside crewed aircraft such as the F-35. The CCA is built for endurance ranges compatible with Indo-Pacific, European and Central Command theaters.
“Vectis is the culmination of our expertise in complex systems integration, advanced fighter development and autonomy,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. “We’re not simply building a new platform – we’re creating a new paradigm for air power based on a highly capable, customizable and affordable agile drone framework.”
CCA Survivability and Affordability
Skunk Works drew on decades of stealth advancement experience to give Vectis best-in-class survivability among CCAs. The aircraft applies advanced manufacturing and digital engineering techniques learned from next-generation fighter development to deliver Vectis at a competitive price point. The system is aligned with government reference architectures to avoid vendor lock.
Skunk Works has already ordered parts for Vectis and is investing significant resources to advance its development, with the goal of designing, building and flying the system within two years. The aircraft is being built to align with emerging tri-service architectures and global requirements as they evolve.
