Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has expanded production of its internally funded Vectis uncrewed aircraft program to five prototypes, unveiling a full-scale model of the autonomous wingman on September 14, 2026, at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

The expansion, announced via a company press release, signals Lockheed Martin’s continued investment in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) space. The Vectis is designed to operate alongside crewed fighters such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, utilizing the manufacturers‘s MDCX autonomy command and control platform.

Design and technical specifications

The Vectis is classified as a Group 5 uncrewed aircraft, weighing more than 1,320 pounds. It features a tailless, lambda-wing design measuring 34 feet in length with a 38-foot wingspan. The airframe incorporates a submerged dorsal engine inlet, a design choice intended to reduce frontal drag and minimize the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) ingestion.

This inlet configuration aligns with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept, which emphasizes operating from austere or debris-prone locations. The aircraft is powered by a Williams International FJ44-4 turbofan engine, which delivers 3,600 pounds of thrust. For combat operations, the Vectis includes an internal weapons bay capable of carrying munitions such as the AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile.

Rapid development and production timeline

Lockheed Martin first unveiled the Vectis concept on September 21, 2025, and confirmed the selection of the Williams International engine on December 18, 2025. The program has utilized digital engineering to accelerate its timeline. According to the manufacturer, the project moved from the first drawing to a wind tunnel fly-off in less than two months. The first digital build was completed in six months, and the first physical part was released at the eight-month mark.

Ron Fehlen, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, confirmed that development work on the four additional aircraft is already underway. The company is targeting the end of 2027 for the first flight of the Vectis prototype.

“The team is extremely excited as these parts start to come together, to actually get the wheels off the ramp by the end of 2027,” Fehlen stated.

Market positioning and cost targets

While Lockheed Martin was not selected for the first increment of the USAF CCA program, the company is positioning the Vectis for future increments and potential contracts with the U.S. Navy (USN) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The USAF has publicly targeted a cost of approximately $20 million per CCA unit. Lockheed Martin has stated that the Vectis is targeting a competitive price point within this range, though exact unit costs remain undisclosed.

Fehlen noted that the aircraft is designed to be survivable, affordable, and flexible across a range of missions required by military customers.

AirPro News analysis

We view Lockheed Martin’s decision to self-fund four additional prototypes as a strategic commitment to remaining competitive in the autonomous combat aircraft market. By targeting the $20 million unit cost and emphasizing austere operational capabilities through the dorsal inlet design, the manufacturer is positioning Vectis as a mature, ready-to-produce option for future CCA increments. The rapid development timeline also demonstrates the efficacy of Skunk Works’ digital engineering processes, which will be critical for meeting the high-volume production demands anticipated for uncrewed wingman programs.

Sources: Lockheed Martin

This article summarizes reporting by Asiae.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved a 3.24 trillion won ($2.4 billion) project on September 15, 2026, to acquire approximately 20 additional Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). The acquisition, scheduled to run from 2025 through 2032, will replace the navy’s aging fleet of shipborne Westland Lynx helicopters and expand its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The approval of the Maritime Operational Helicopter-II project follows a May 18, 2026, clearance by the U.S. State Department for a potential $3 billion Foreign Military Sale of up to 24 MH-60R airframes to South Korea. According to reporting by Asiae, the final number of helicopters will be solidified during concluding contract negotiations, though DAPA currently projects a fleet addition of around 20 aircraft.

Expanding the Republic of Korea Navy fleet

The ROKN is already in the process of integrating the Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk into its frontline operations. South Korea signed an initial $878 million contracts in December 2020 for 12 of the maritime helicopters. The first airframe from that order was delivered in December 2024.

Operational deployment of the initial batch began recently, with the first two Seahawks entering active service on April 1, 2026, at the 62nd Maritime Aviation Squadron based in Jinhae. The newly approved second batch will significantly increase the ROKN’s operational footprint and surface fleet integration.

Brigadier General Kang Seong-kwon, head of the Aircraft Business Division at DAPA, highlighted the platform’s multi-role utility during the procurement process.

“The new MH-60R maritime operational helicopter is capable of performing various missions, including anti-submarine, anti-ship, and search and rescue operations,” Kang stated.

Technical specifications and parallel defense projects

The Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk is designed for a maximum takeoff weight of 10.2 tons and can reach a maximum speed of 180 knots. The platform is equipped with advanced sensor suites and weapon systems tailored for detecting and neutralizing underwater and surface threats, a critical requirement for South Korea’s maritime defense strategy.

During the same September 15, 2026, Defense Project Promotion Committee meeting, DAPA authorized a separate 2.16 trillion won initiative. This parallel project aims to indigenously develop vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by 2036, further modernizing the country’s aerial surveillance capabilities.

AirPro News analysis

We view DAPA’s rapid follow-on order for the Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk as a strong indicator of the ROKN’s satisfaction with the initial 2020 batch. Transitioning from the legacy Westland Lynx to a unified fleet of MH-60Rs streamlines maintenance, training, and interoperability with United States Navy assets operating in the Indo-Pacific region. The slight discrepancy between the U.S. State Department’s approval for 24 airframes and DAPA’s stated goal of “approximately 20” is standard in Foreign Military Sales, where the maximum approved quantity often provides a buffer for final budget negotiations and equipment configurations.

Sources: Asiae

GE Aerospace is advancing toward the physical assembly of its first XA102 adaptive cycle engine test asset for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. The manufacturers is currently procuring hardware and conducting subcomponent testing with its supply chain to support the prototype build.

In a press release issued on September 14, 2026, the company confirmed the progress at its Edison Works facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. The XA102 program introduces a shift in defense manufacturing processes, as it represents the first engine built entirely using model-based definition (MBD). This approach replaces traditional two-dimensional engineering drawings with a machine-readable digital format that spans from initial design through final assembly.

Transitioning from design to physical assembly

The move toward physical assembly follows the successful completion of the Assembly Readiness Review (ARR) for the XA102 engine in May 2026. The ARR milestone validated that the engine design, manufacturing processes, and supply chain were mature enough to support prototype construction.

Jorge Perez, General Manager of Edison Works Advanced Combat Engines at GE Aerospace, outlined the current phase of the program.

“Our team is working with suppliers to procure hardware and test subcomponents as we prepare for assembly of the first XA102 test asset,” Perez stated.

Adaptive cycle technology and the NGAP competition

The USAF initiated the NGAP program to develop propulsion systems capable of powering future sixth-generation combat aircraft. Adaptive cycle engines like the XA102 are designed to reconfigure their internal airflow during flight. This capability allows the engine to switch between high-thrust modes optimized for combat maneuvers and high-efficiency modes designed for cruising, providing greater range and improved thermal management compared to conventional turbofan engines.

GE Aerospace is developing the XA102 using thermal management, fuel efficiency, and advanced design methods established during its earlier XA100 adaptive cycle engine program.

“With our learnings from the XA100 program as a foundation, we are well positioned to advance adaptive cycle engine technology and support the Air-Forces‘s vision for next-generation propulsion,” Perez noted.

The NGAP program remains a competitive acquisition effort. Pratt & Whitney also completed the ARR for its respective NGAP candidate, the XA103, in May 2026.

AirPro News analysis

We view the transition to a fully MBD architecture as a critical evolution for military engine procurement. By eliminating two-dimensional drawings, GE Aerospace can theoretically reduce translation errors between engineering and manufacturing, potentially accelerating the assembly timeline for the XA102 test asset.

While various open-source platforms and third-party aggregators have linked the NGAP engines to a specific “Boeing F-47″ platform, official communications from both GE Aerospace and the USAF refer exclusively to “future combat aircraft” and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. We note that the specific airframe designation remains unconfirmed by primary sources, and the propulsion development currently proceeds independent of a finalized, public airframe selection.

Sources: GE Aerospace