Lockheed’s legendary Skunk Works just unveiled a new autonomous wingman for warfighters. Check out their new stealth drone, VECTIS. But will the Air Force want it? And for how much money?
Lockheed says it will be flying in two years, and will be compatible with both 5th and 6th Gen fighters. Watch the CGI promo they released this week below:
An attractive option for future Air Force competitions
“Vectis will provide U.S. and allied warfighters with range, endurance, and multi-mission flexibility, including air-to-air, air-to-surface, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance,” said OJ Sanchez, president of Skunk Works.
The runway-based, low-maintenance drone is an attractive option for any future competitions the Air Force may request. Sanchez did not elaborate on costs.
Vectis was likely made for the Air Force’s increment 1 CCA bid (Collaborative Combat Aircraft program) that Lockheed lost, because it was basically considered too high-end at the time. USAF was not interested in all the “bells and whistles”.
The company, appears to have finished development anyway, and with this announcement still hopes to get a customer for Vectis. The Air Force has not yet publicly revealed any plans for CCA Increment 2, but Lockheed says Vectis is a great candidate.
Was Vectis Spotted by Satellite at Area 51?
Lockheed won’t elaborate much on the new delta-wing aircraft’s development, but Sanchez did say Vectis is somewhere in size between a F-16 and the company’s new Common Multi-Mission Truck cruise missile.
He did add that Vectis will not fly supersonic.
Here’s an interesting satellite photo of something that looks similar to Vectis, next to a hangar at Area 51 in 2022:
You be the judge.
