Lockheed Martin Vectis Explained: New Combat Drone Designed to Fight Alongside Crewed Fighter Jets

Lockheed Martin’s Vectis is a new autonomous collaborative combat aircraft designed to operate independently or alongside crewed fighters such as the F-35. Developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Vectis is intended to combine survivability, autonomy, and multi-mission flexibility for operations in increasingly contested airspace. Its role is to extend the reach of crewed combat aircraft, create additional tactical options, and support future missions where sending a piloted fighter deeper into defended airspace could carry greater risk. In this video, Army Recognition explains what Vectis is, how the aircraft is designed to work with crewed fighters, its potential operational roles, its propulsion and design features, and why collaborative combat aircraft are becoming increasingly important for U.S. and allied air forces. Lockheed Martin is currently developing Vectis toward a planned first flight in 2027, meaning the aircraft remains a developmental system rather than an operational combat drone. Follow Army Recognition for the latest analysis of military aviation, combat aircraft, drones, weapons systems and defense technology. Read more info about the Vectis at this link https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2026/lockheed-martin-unveils-first-full-scale-model-of-u-s-vectis-stealth-drone-to-fly-with-f-35-fighter-jets #Vectis #LockheedMartin #SkunkWorks #CombatDrone #CCA #CollaborativeCombatAircraft #F35 #MilitaryAviation #DefenseNews #ArmyRecognition