Lockheed Martin has unveiled its new unmanned combat drone, the Vectis, a development that has sparked renewed conspiracy theories about the company and the U.S. government possessing and utilizing UFO technology. The defense contractor released a cryptic message featuring the silhouette of an unknown craft prior to the unveiling, claiming their top-secret Skunk Works division had "unlocked" the "next level." This post led many on social media to assert that the company was still concealing designs reverse-engineered from crashed UFOs.
Despite these claims, the Pentagon and White House have consistently maintained that no physical evidence of UFOs has ever been recovered. Nevertheless, speculation persists, with some social media users demanding that Lockheed Martin reveal "the antigravity craft you’ve been hiding from the public for the past 70 years."
Lockheed Martin revealed a full-scale model and video of the Vectis at a major Air Force conference in Washington. The drone is designed to fly alongside U.S. military pilots, perform combat missions, bomb ground targets, or gather intelligence as a spy plane. According to Lockheed, five Vectis drones are expected to be produced by 2027.
The conspiracy theories have been further fueled by the claims of Boyd Bushman, a former Lockheed Martin and Texas Instruments engineer who died in 2014. Bushman claimed he had worked with UFOs and aliens to reverse-engineer spacecraft "24 hours a day" at Area 51. During a deathbed confession, he presented photographs he alleged were of extraterrestrials he worked with. Skeptics, however, suggest his photos resemble commercially available prop dolls.
Lockheed Martin has largely avoided commenting directly on claims of ties to extraterrestrial materials, stating in 2023 that "Questions about UAPs are best addressed by the U.S. government." The company's Skunk Works division, established in 1943, has a long history of developing cutting-edge and often classified aircraft.
The Vectis features a tailless, flying-wing design intended to enhance stealth capabilities and reduce drag. It also has a hidden engine intake to minimize radar detection. The drone measures approximately 34 feet long with a 38-foot wingspan, comparable in size to an MQ-9 Reaper drone and an F-35 fighter jet, respectively. Its design allows for the internal carrying of larger weapon payloads.
These claims echo those made by other figures, including former CIA scientist Dr. Hal Puthoff and Air Force veteran David Grusch, who allege the U.S. government has been operating a secret UFO recovery program since the 1940s, potentially controlling up to ten extraterrestrial craft. The current full-scale model of the Vectis is expected to be followed by the first full-scale prototype delivered to the military by the end of 2027.