In a significant transatlantic development for next-generation combat air systems, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks have announced a strategic collaboration. The partnership aims to accelerate the development of advanced air capabilities with a focus on uncrewed systems, manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), and sixth-generation fighter technologies.
Strategic Collaboration Between Two Advanced Design Units
Announced in September 2025 at DSEI in London, the agreement brings together two of the most secretive and innovative aerospace R&D divisions—Skunk Works (USA) and FalconWorks (UK). Both are known for their rapid prototyping capabilities and deep involvement in national-level future air combat programs.
Skunk Works is Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs unit, historically responsible for platforms such as the U-2, SR-71 Blackbird, F-117 Nighthawk, F-22 Raptor, and contributions to the F-35 Lightning II. FalconWorks was launched in 2023 as BAE Systems’ dedicated future air capability division under its Air sector umbrella. It focuses on disruptive technologies including autonomy, AI-enabled mission systems, novel propulsion concepts, and advanced materials.
The collaboration is not tied to any single platform but is framed around joint exploration of “highly classified” capabilities that could support both UK and US future combat air requirements. A key emphasis is placed on interoperability from inception—ensuring that future systems developed by either nation can operate seamlessly together across domains.
Focus Areas: MUM-T, Autonomy & Next-Gen Survivability
The joint statement from both companies emphasized areas such as manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP), sensor fusion architectures, electronic warfare survivability suites, and secure multi-domain data links. These align closely with ongoing efforts in both countries to develop sixth-generation fighter ecosystems—namely the UK-led Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and the US Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.
While neither company disclosed specific platforms or timelines due to classification constraints, several likely focus areas include:
- Loyal wingman drones: Low-cost attritable UAVs designed to accompany crewed fighters into contested environments.
- Cognitive electronic warfare: AI-driven EW systems capable of adaptive threat response in real time.
- Advanced mission system architectures: Modular open-systems approaches enabling rapid integration of new sensors or weapons.
- Stealth optimization: Materials science innovations for radar cross-section reduction across broad frequency bands.
This aligns with recent public statements by UK Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) officials calling for “sovereign yet interoperable” solutions within GCAP. Similarly, Lockheed has emphasized open architecture design principles in its NGAD-related efforts to facilitate coalition operations.
A Transatlantic Response to Peer Threats
The timing of this partnership reflects growing urgency among NATO allies to field credible next-gen capabilities amid intensifying peer competition—particularly from China’s J-20B program and Russia’s continued investment in Su-57 derivatives. Both nations are also investing heavily in loyal wingman-type UAVs such as China’s FH-97A or Russia’s Grom platform.
This collaboration may serve multiple strategic objectives:
- Industrial resilience: By pooling R&D resources across national lines while maintaining sovereign control over critical IP.
- NATO interoperability: Ensuring that future UK/US platforms can share ISR data securely via Link-16 successors or SATCOM-independent mesh networks.
- Tactical convergence: Harmonizing TTPs for MUM-T operations involving mixed fleets of manned aircraft and autonomous assets across services (e.g., RAF Tempest + USAF NGAD).
This echoes broader defense-industrial shifts seen in programs like AUKUS Pillar Two or trilateral drone initiatives involving Australia. Notably absent from this announcement are any references to GCAP partners Italy or Japan—suggesting this effort may be more bilateral than multilateral at this stage.
No Platform Disclosure Yet—but Signs Point Toward Loyal Wingman Prototypes
No specific aircraft have been named under this collaboration; however, both companies have active uncrewed demonstrator programs that could serve as testbeds. BAE has previously unveiled its “Project Alvina” concept—a stealthy drone designed for cooperative missions with Tempest fighters—and has invested heavily in autonomy trials at its Warton site using surrogate aircraft like the Jetstream testbed equipped with AI co-pilots.
Meanwhile Skunk Works has been linked to multiple classified USAF programs under NGAD’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) subcomponent. These include potential successors to Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie or Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat concept adapted for US use. The recent award of CCA contracts by the USAF to Anduril Industries and General Atomics suggests an expanding ecosystem where Skunk Works could contribute high-end mission system integration or low-observable design expertise rather than entire airframes alone.
Cultural Alignment Between Rapid Innovation Units
A less tangible but important element is cultural compatibility between Skunk Works and FalconWorks—both modeled after agile “skunkworks”-style innovation cells with flat hierarchies designed for speed over bureaucracy. This may prove critical given the compressed timelines demanded by near-peer pacing threats. Both units emphasize digital engineering pipelines using synthetic environments (“digital twins”) for accelerated test cycles without requiring full physical prototypes early on.
This approach mirrors recent trends such as DARPA’s “Mosaic Warfare” concept or GCAP’s “Digital Backbone” strategy aimed at shortening development timelines through concurrent simulation-validation loops across software-defined subsystems before metal is cut.
Implications for Future Procurement & Export Control
If successful prototypes emerge from this partnership within five years—as some analysts speculate—it could influence procurement decisions beyond just the UK MoD or US DoD. Interoperable ACPs developed jointly might be offered under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) frameworks or via Five Eyes partnerships including Australia or Canada depending on classification levels cleared for exportability.
A key challenge will be reconciling differing ITAR regimes versus UK export controls—especially if sensitive subsystems such as EW payloads or AI-enabled targeting logic are co-developed. However, both firms have experience navigating these complexities through previous joint ventures like F-35 JSF production lines involving BAE-built aft fuselages integrated into Lockheed’s Fort Worth final assembly line.
Outlook: A New Axis of Aerospace Innovation?
This partnership signals more than just technical cooperation—it represents a potential shift toward a deeper Anglo-American aerospace innovation axis focused not only on platforms but also doctrine convergence around unmanned autonomy integration into complex kill webs. If sustained beyond initial demonstrations into acquisition pathways backed by government funding streams like GCAP Phase 3 or NGAD spiral upgrades post-FY27 POM cycles—it could reshape how NATO approaches distributed lethality in contested aerospace environments through the late 2030s and beyond.
