Lockheed Martin's Vectis Drone: Five Prototypes by 2027

Today’s defense news features significant developments in autonomous aircraft, long-range strike capabilities, and maritime surveillance. Meanwhile, China’s commercial space sector sees a major shake-up, and a Russian drone strike near the Polish border raises NATO concerns.

Lockheed Martin’s Vectis Drone Development

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division plans to fly a prototype of its Vectis drone by late 2027, with four more aircraft under development, according to Breaking Defense. The company is increasing internal investment in the program to accelerate testing and validate production processes for the Group Five drone. Vectis is designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, with a target cost of $20 million per aircraft for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

Australia Achieves Initial Operational Capability for LRASM and JASSM-ER

Naval News reports that the Royal Australian Air Force has achieved Initial Operational Capability for both the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER). The LRASM is a precision-guided missile with a range exceeding 370 kilometers, while the JASSM-ER is a long-range land strike cruise missile capable of defeating targets up to 900 kilometers away. These weapons are integrated into the RAAF’s F/A-18F Super Hornets and P-8A Poseidons, enhancing Australia’s deterrence posture and air combat lethality.

French Navy Receives First Albatros Maritime Surveillance Aircraft

The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has delivered the first two Falcon 2000LXS Albatros maritime surveillance aircraft to the French Navy, Naval News reports. These aircraft, stationed at the Lann-Bihoué naval air station, offer a 4,000-nautical-mile range and seven hours of patrol endurance, significantly boosting long-range surveillance capabilities. Equipped with advanced avionics like Thales’ SearchMaster radar and Safran’s EuroFLIR 410 system, they will replace legacy Falcon 50M and Falcon 200 Gardian aircraft, with a third Albatros expected by late 2026.

China’s ExPace Spins Off Amid Commercial Space Competition

The Jamestown Foundation reports that China Space Sanjiang Group sold a 29.6 percent stake in ExPace, formerly CASIC Rocket Technology, for 3.3 billion renminbi ($490 million) in early 2026. This transaction, the largest equity deal in China’s commercial space sector, made state-owned Wuhan Investment Holdings Group the largest investor. ExPace has rebranded as Kuaizhou Aerospace Technology, signaling its independence from CASIC and a move towards market-oriented operations, possibly in preparation for a public listing.

Russian Drone Strike Near Polish Border Raises NATO Concerns

Nationalsecuritynews.com reports that a Russian drone strike on a train near the Polish border has raised fears of the conflict spreading towards NATO territory. This incident follows assessments by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), cited by RBC-Ukraine, suggesting Russia’s train attacks near the Polish border may be part of a broader pressure campaign against NATO. Analysis: Such actions could be interpreted as attempts to test NATO’s resolve and response capabilities.

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