Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announced a new partnership on September 9 at the DSEI defense exhibition in London. The collaboration aims to jointly develop uncrewed autonomous air systems designed to be modular and rapidly deployable for a variety of missions.
The project will leverage both companies’ experience in rapid design, prototyping, and advanced manufacturing. According to the announcement, the initial focus will be on an electronic warfare and attack system intended to complement current crewed combat aircraft by enhancing their survivability.
The system is being designed for adaptability, with modular features allowing it to support multiple mission types. Planned launch options include air drop, ground-based launch, maritime launch, and deployment from wide-body logistic aircraft.
The announcement comes as many countries explore integrating uncrewed assets with traditional platforms to increase combat capacity while keeping costs manageable.
OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, said the partnership combines the strengths of both organizations in prototyping and advanced development. Dave Holmes, managing director of BAE Systems’ FalconWorks, added that the collaboration is intended to provide capabilities that align with evolving battlefield requirements.
