WDS 2026: U.S. Reveals Vectis as Next-Generation Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Lockheed Martin used the World Defense Show 2026 to present Vectis, an autonomous Group 5 Collaborative Combat Aircraft developed by its Skunk Works division. The concept underscores how the U.S. military is shaping future air combat around tightly integrated teams of crewed fighters and uncrewed systems designed for high threat environments.

Presented publicly at the World Defense Show 2026, Lockheed Martin’s Vectis offers a glimpse into how the Pentagon and industry are thinking about uncrewed aircraft as operational partners rather than supporting assets. Developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the Group 5 autonomous aircraft is described as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, capable of operating independently or alongside crewed fifth generation fighters as part of a distributed air combat force in contested airspace, according to company officials.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Vectis is presented as a multirole system able to conduct precision strike, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions, electronic warfare tasks, and offensive and defensive counter air operations (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Vectis is positioned around modularity and open mission architectures. Lockheed Martin describes a platform intended to be rapidly adaptable to operational needs and evolving threat priorities. The aircraft is framed within a “family of systems” approach, designed to work with fighters such as the F-35 Lightning II, a stealth multirole aircraft built around sensor fusion and networked operations, and the F-22 Raptor, optimized for air superiority through low observability and long-range air-to-air engagement.

Vectis is presented as a multirole system able to conduct precision strike, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions, electronic warfare tasks, and offensive and defensive counter air operations. Its range and endurance are described as suitable for large theaters, including the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. This emphasis aligns with current requirements for persistence and reach when forward operating locations may be limited or under threat.

Design choices highlight a focus on survivability. Public renderings show a tailless aircraft with a lambda wing planform, a dorsal intake, and shaping associated with radar and infrared signature reduction. Features such as an S-shaped inlet duct and partially shrouded exhaust, as depicted in promotional material, suggest efforts to limit radar cross-section and thermal signature, consistent with Skunk Works’ stated experience in low-observable aircraft. This approach is presented as different from some other collaborative combat aircraft concepts that prioritize lower cost with fewer survivability measures.

Lockheed Martin links the aircraft to common command and control solutions, including the Multi Domain Combat System (MDCX), described as a software based architecture intended to support interoperability across platforms and enable drone control from fighter cockpits or remote control nodes. The company states that the autonomy and mission systems align with U.S. government reference architectures to limit proprietary dependence and ease integration of third-party payloads or software. In the concepts shown, a pilot in an F-22 or F-35 could supervise and task multiple Vectis aircraft for sensing, target designation, or engagement.

Lockheed Martin has not released detailed figures on propulsion, maximum speed, payload, or other core specifications. Company statements indicate that internal operational analysis does not treat supersonic speed as a central requirement for this category. Vectis is described as runway-dependent in its current configuration, while also being designed for high reliability and simplified field maintenance to support concepts such as Agile Combat Employment, which emphasizes dispersed operations and operational flexibility.

Development is described as underway, with parts ordered and a dedicated team building a prototype, and an objective to fly within roughly two years. The program is not presented as tied to a specific competition, though it is positioned as a possible option for future phases of the U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort. This framing also leaves room for export discussions, with Lockheed Martin indicating that payloads and configurations could be tailored to national requirements.

Through Vectis, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works continues a strategy centered on combining fighter aircraft development experience with autonomous systems work while addressing a growing market for collaborative combat aircraft. The spread of comparable programs across the United States, Europe, and Asia points to rising interest in such platforms as force multipliers as air defenses become denser. In that context, potential adoption of Vectis by allied forces could contribute to convergence in certain concepts of employment and technical standards, while also intensifying competition in the high-capability uncrewed aircraft segment.