Lockheed Martin Stalker
In August 2007, Lockheed Martin unveiled a new special operations UAV named Stalker. Development of the vehicle began in early 2006, and first flight followed later that year. At that time, Stalker was produced for a U.S. customer which was officially undisclosed, but was rumoured to be the U.S. forces' Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which was said to replace its RQ-11 Raven systems with Stalker.
 |
| Photo: Lockheed Martin |
| Stalker |
The Stalker UAV had a wingspan of about 3 m (10 ft), weighed about 6.4 kg (14 lb), and was launched by hand. It could fly for up to two hours at altitudes of up to 4600 m (15000 ft). Stalker was powered by what Lockheed Martin called a "hush drive" - a low-noise electric motor and a special quiet propeller. The UAV's sensor module was located in a two-axis gimballed turret. Available modules included daylight, low-light-level and infrared cameras, which could be combined with a laser designator. The turret was equipped with a "plug-and-play"-type interface, which allowed quick change of the sensor module. For landing, the sensor turret was retracted into the vehicle's fuselage. The whole UAV system, including air vehicle, sensor modules and spare batteries, could be disassembled into several easily transportable components.
In the 2010s, Stalker was used for research into SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) technology to greatly increase UAV flight time and range. The result was the Stalker XE (Extreme Endurance), which optionally uses a propane-fuelled SOFC resulting in four times the endurance as the battery-powered Stalker. The XE variant is no longer hand-launched, but uses a bungee or a rail launcher. Lockheed Martin also offers a VTOL kit as an add-on for the drone. Stalker XE was used by Army and Marine Corps special forces in Afghanistan for IED (Improvised Explosive Device) detection.
 |
| Photo: Lockheed Martin |
| Stalker XE |
The latest Stalker variant in Lockheed Martin's portfolio is the Stalker VXE. It is a VTOL-only derivative of the XE, with an enlarged airframe and a redesigned tail assembly.
 |
| Photo: Lockheed Martin |
| Stalker VXE30 |
Specifications
Data for Stalker, Stalker XE, Stalker VXE30:
| Stalker | Stalker XE | Stalker VXE30 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | ? | 2.1 m (7.0 ft) | 2.6 m (8.5 ft) |
| Wingspan | 3 m (10 ft) | 3.7 m (12.0 ft) | 4.9 m (16.0 ft) |
| Weight (empty) | 6.4 kg (14 lb) | 10.9 kg (24 lb) | Fuel Cell: 17.5 kg (38.5 lb) Battery: 19.3 kg (42.5 lb) |
| Speed | ? | Cruise: 56 km/h (35 mph) max: 72 km/h (45 mph) | Cruise: 58 km/h (36 mph) max: 93 km/h (58 mph) |
| Ceiling | 4600 m (15000 ft) | 3660 m (12000 ft) | |
| Range | ? | Fuel Cell: 370 km (230 miles) | Fuel Cell: 433 km (269 miles) Battery: 222 km (138 miles) |
| Endurance | 2 h | Fuel Cell: 8 h Battery: 4 h VTOL/Battery: 2 h | Fuel Cell: 8 h Battery: 4 h |
| Propulsion | Electric motors | ||
Main Sources
[1] FlightGlobal.Com, Peter La Franchi:
Skunkworks unveils fast-track unmanned air vehicle job for special forces, 14 August 2007
[2] StrategyPage.Com: Stalker Replaces Raven, 14 August 2007
[3] Wikipedia: Lockheed Martin Stalker, and references in that article
[4] Lockheed Martin Stalker Website
[5]
Lockheed Martin Stalker VXE30 Product Sheet
[6]
Lockheed Martin Stalker XE Product Sheet
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4
Last Updated: 26 April 2025