'Engineered for affordability': Lockheed Martin says Vectis stealth combat drone family will come before 2028 — promotion videos show two hidden missile bays
Lockheed Martin has released promotional footage of its Vectis stealth combat drone, highlighting internal weapons bays and a design focused on affordability. The company aims to have the first prototype flying by 2027, with the full family expected to be available before 2028. This development follows Lockheed's loss of the initial CCA increment to competitors Anduril and General Atomics.
- ▪Lockheed Martin expects the first Vectis prototype to fly in 2027.
- ▪The aircraft is designed to operate autonomously alongside crewed fighters like the F-35.
- ▪Promotional videos reveal that the drone carries AIM-120 missiles and GBU-53 bombs in internal compartments to maintain stealth.
- ▪The Vectis measures approximately 34 feet in length with a 38-foot wingspan.
- ▪Lockheed Martin is pursuing the Increment 2 contract after losing the first increment to Anduril and General Atomics.
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| Publication time | Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:20:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-18T00:23:45.187Z |
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Pro 'Engineered for affordability': Lockheed Martin says Vectis stealth combat drone family will come before 2028 — promotion videos show two hidden missile bays News By Efosa Udinmwen Published 18 September 2026 2 min read After losing Increment 1 to Anduril and General Atomics, Lockheed locks in for Increment 2 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Lockheed Martin) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Lockheed Vectis carries its air-to-air and strike weapons inside the aircraftLockheed expects the first Vectis prototype to fly in 2027The aircraft…
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