A SUPERSONIC-style stealth drone without a pilot is set to join the skies – built to hunt, spy and strike alongside America’s F-35s.
Lockheed Martin has ripped the covers off its Vectis drone, a secretive stealth combat aircraft designed to change the way wars are fought.
The Vectis is the latest creation from the defence giant’s legendary Skunk Works division, the birthplace of the U-2, SR-71 Blackbird and F-117 Nighthawk.
Built entirely with company cash and not yet flown, Vectis is already being hailed as a game-changer that could give America and its allies an unstoppable edge.
Bigger than a missile-style drone but smaller than an F-16 fighter, Vectis falls into the Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicle class – meaning it weighs over 1,320lb and can soar at extreme altitudes.
Renderings reveal a tailless, radar-dodging delta wing shape with stealth-focused fuselage and top-mounted engine inlets.
The drone will be able to carry out precision strikes, electronic warfare, surveillance, and both defensive and offensive air combat.
Crucially, it can fly independently or act as a “loyal wingman” to America’s most advanced jets like the F-35 Lightning II.
And unlike many secret prototypes, Lockheed says Vectis won’t just be for the US military.
The drone is being pitched to allies and partners worldwide, boasting open architecture for upgrades and built with affordability in mind through digital design and advanced manufacturing.
OJ Sanchez, head of Skunk Works, said: “Vectis is the culmination of our expertise in complex systems integration, advanced fighter development and autonomy.
“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.”
He added: “Skunk Works is charting a critical path with this Vectis program to unlock new integrated capabilities at an ultra-competitive speed and price point.
“Vectis provides best-in-class survivability at the CCA price point.”
The unveiling comes at a critical time as the US Air Force is at its smallest size in history, fielding fewer than half the fighters it had in 1987.
Aircraft are also retiring faster than they’re being replaced.
Cheap, AI-driven drones like Vectis are seen as the solution – force multipliers that can swarm alongside manned jets and overwhelm enemy air defences.
General David Allvin, US Air Force chief of staff, said earlier this year: “CCA is about delivering decisive advantage in highly contested environments.
“The program is accelerating fielding through innovative design and acquisition strategies — and both vendors are meeting or exceeding key milestones.
“These aircraft will help us turn readiness into operational dominance.”
Vectis is the culmination of our expertise in complex systems integration, advanced fighter development and autonomy
OJ Sanchez
Vectis is expected to fly within two years and be fully operational by 2028.
Lockheed says the drone will have the range to operate not just in the US homeland but across the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
The design is pitched as more survivable and reusable than rivals, marking a shift away from viewing drones as disposable assets.
Skunk Works insists it can be flown daily for training as well as combat, with durability and reliability “baked in.”
Its flexibility could also see it adapted for the US Navy, Marine Corps or even allied air forces – putting Lockheed head-to-head with Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat and other stealth drone projects.
As rivals like China unveil their own wingman drones, Lockheed’s reveal shows America’s determination to keep the technological edge.
The pilotless stealth combat drone designed to operate with F-35s (pictured)[/caption]
A US Marines’ Lockheed Martin F35-B jet taxis after landing at José Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, in Puerto Rico[/caption]
