- Skunk Works Unveils “Vectis”: Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works division has revealed a new stealth autonomous drone named Vectis, a large Group 5 unmanned combat aircraft slated for its first flight by 2027 breakingdefense.com.
- Stealthy & Customizable: Vectis features a tailless, “lambda”-wing design with a top-mounted inlet, optimized for low radar signature (stealth). Its architecture is modular and open, allowing different payloads (air-to-air missiles, bombs, sensors, etc.) and easy integration with various platforms breakingdefense.com twz.com.
- Multi-Role Capability: Designed as a reusable “loyal wingman” for fighter jets, Vectis can perform air-to-air combat, precision strike (air-to-ground), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions breakingdefense.com. It has the endurance and range for theaters like the Indo-Pacific and Europe, indicating long-range mission capability twz.com theaviationist.com.
- “CCA-Plus” Drone: While not built for a specific program, Vectis aligns with the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concept – drones that team with manned fighters. Lockheed says Vectis offers “best-in-class survivability at a CCA price point,” implying high stealth and performance at an affordable cost breakingdefense.com twz.com. It’s smaller than an F-16 but larger than prior Lockheed test drones, fitting a new niche between expendable and exquisite defenseone.com.
- Strategic Impact: Vectis is poised to augment U.S. and allied airpower, teaming with F-35s, F-22s, and future sixth-gen fighters breakingdefense.com. It represents a major step in manned-unmanned teaming, promising to expand combat reach, protect human pilots, and perform high-risk tasks. Its emergence enters a competitive field alongside Boeing’s MQ-25 and MQ-28, Northrop’s secret RQ-180, and China’s and Russia’s stealth drones, potentially reshaping future air combat dynamics theaviationist.com twz.com.
Lockheed’s “Vectis” – A New Era for Stealth Drones
Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works – known for iconic secret projects like the U-2 and F-117 – has lifted the veil on a new stealth drone that could revolutionize future air warfare. Dubbed “Vectis” (Latin for “lever,” reflecting the leverage it gives commanders twz.com), the jet-black unmanned aircraft was unveiled ahead of the Air & Space Forces Association conference in September 2025. Skunk Works officials describe Vectis as a “survivable, lethal, and reusable” autonomous drone that embodies decades of Lockheed’s expertise in stealth technology, advanced fighters, and uncrewed systems theaviationist.com theaviationist.com.
OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Skunk Works, said Vectis will fly within two years – by late 2027 – with its first prototype already in the works breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com. “We’re in progress now on the Vectis prototype… parts are ordered, the team is in work, and we intend to fly in the next two years,” Sanchez confirmed defenseone.com. This ambitious timeline is enabled by Lockheed self-funding the project, using digital design and manufacturing techniques borrowed from next-gen fighter programs to accelerate development theaviationist.com theaviationist.com. In short, Skunk Works is betting big on Vectis as the vanguard of a new paradigm in air combat.
