Lockheed Martin says Vectis, F-35 and PAC-3 underpin defense industrial investment strategy

Lockheed Martin is adding four Vectis autonomous aircraft and developing the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector as part of its defense technology and manufacturing investments. Vectis production is expanding ahead of a planned first flight in 2027, while PAC-3 ACE draws on existing interceptor technology and targets a unit cost below half that of PAC-3 MSE. The company intends to pursue rapid ACE fielding through American and European partnerships, with affordability presented as a design objective. Its update also highlighted Germany's first F-35A rollout, investment in a modular hypersonic payload-delivery system and a framework agreement to accelerate AIM-260 missile production.