Lockheed Martin Polecat

Polecat
A picture of the Lockheed-Martin Polecat released at the Farnborough Airshow in 2006
Role Unmanned aerial vehicle
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
First flight 2005
Retired December 18, 2006
Number built 1


The Lockheed Martin Polecat (company designation P-175) was an unmanned aerial vehicle by Lockheed Martin. It was developed by the company's Advanced Development Programs division in Palmdale, California. "Polecat" is a colloquialism for a skunk, in an apparent reference to the popular "Skunk Works" nickname for the Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs division.

Design and development

Designated P-175, the Polecat was funded internally by Lockheed Martin (as opposed to using United States Government funds) at the beginning of 2005. The prototype was unveiled at the 2006 Farnborough Airshow.[1][2] It was developed over a period of 18 months.[3]

On December 18, 2006, the aircraft crashed due to an "irreversible unintentional failure in the flight termination ground equipment, which caused the aircraft's automatic fail-safe flight termination mode to activate."[4]

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

References

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