Overview

• The companies announced the collaboration at the DSEI conference in London, bringing together their advanced development units to co-develop a family of autonomous systems.
• A common, rapidly deployable modular design is planned, with launch options including air drop, ground, maritime platforms and wide-body logistic aircraft.
• Initial capability centers on electronic attack, suppression of enemy air defenses and strike to enhance the survivability and reach of crewed combat aircraft.
• Executives highlighted rapid prototyping, affordability and expendability to deliver combat mass, with FlightGlobal noting a sub-1-ton class concept drawing on Lockheed’s Common Multi-Mission Truck work and recent CMMT-D and CMMT-X tests.
• Separately from the product effort, Lockheed Martin faces a developing shareholder class action related to a securities-fraud probe, with shares down about 1% premarket on Tuesday.