What You Need to Know: Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works recently showcased a render for its Next-Generation Aerial-Refueling System (NGAS) at the Airlift/Tanker Association meeting, sparking interest in the future of autonomous refueling capabilities.

-The concept art reveals a stealthy, autonomous tanker designed to support stealth fighters and drones in contested zones. While details are speculative, the design includes features like a compact fuselage, swept wings, and innovative boom pods.

-The NGAS would shuttle fuel from traditional tankers to combat zones, but Lockheed emphasizes that this is a conceptual model, highlighting trends without revealing proprietary specifics.

-The USAF seeks affordable, stealthy solutions in the NGAS program.

Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs­more commonly known as the "Skunk Works"­shared renders for its Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) competitor at this month's Airlift/Tanker Association meeting, offering some key details in what we could expect from the yet-to-be prototyped aircraft.

First published by Aviation Week, the images suggested an autonomous aircraft with some degree of stealth. That may not mean the U.S. Air Force will actually operate an unmanned stealth tanker, but the Skunk Works is looking to incorporate such technology in future aircraft.

The NGAS wouldn't replace traditional tanker aircraft such as the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus or Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker – which are likely to remain the workhorses for the Air Force – but instead, this would be........

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