Reworked F-35 Pitched As ‘Bridging Fighter' Ahead Of F-47
As to what comes next for the F-35, Taiclet said he was 'very, very confident that the F-35 is here to stay and here to stay for a long time,' recalling that fact that it is the 'only fifth-generation fighter aircraft in production today in the free world.'
Taiclet noted that, as well as air-to-ground, the F-35 has, in recent campaigns in the Middle East, excelled in terms of its 'orchestration of numerous other platforms.' Those other platforms have included assets at sea, in space, as well as other aircraft, including fourth-generation ones.
Talking about the F-35, Taiclet pointed to the aircraft's success in the U.S. attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran last month, Operation Midnight Hammer . The CEO describes that particular mission as being 'led by the F-22 and F-35.' Between them, the stealth fighters 'provided the air dominance and defense suppression required for the bombers to reach Iran's hardened nuclear sites,' Taiclet said. 'Our platforms operated essentially undetected in highly defended and contested airspace, underscoring the value of advanced stealth, superior electronic warfare, and broadband communications capability.'
In the second quarter, Lockheed Martin delivered 50 F-35s, bringing the company's total deliveries for the year to 97. More significantly, the manufacturer has now handed over 207 F-35s since it resumed deliveries last year , having paused them for around a year due to problems with the vital Tech Refresh 3 suite, or TR-3. The company says it is now on track to deliver between 170 and 190 F-35s this year.
These details and more were provided in a second-quarter earnings call earlier today that involved Taiclet as well as Lockheed Martin Chief Financial Officer Evan Scott, and Maria Ricciardone, the company's Vice-President, Treasurer and Investor Relations.
Lockheed Martin envisages its F-35 stealth jet as the 'bridging fighter' that will allow the U.S. Air Force to transition to the sixth-generation F-47, from rival Boeing. Speaking today, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet reiterated the goal of inserting technologies developed under the company's unsuccessful Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) bid into a future version of the F-35. At the same time, the company discussed 'a highly classified program' in the aeronautical sector on which it admits it has so far suffered significant financial losses.
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'We did bid on NGAD, and we weren't selected,' Taiclet reflected, referring to Lockheed Martin's loss to Boeing, which is now building the F-47 crewed sixth-generation fighter to meet that requirement.
An artist rendering of Boeing's F-47. U.S. Air Force
'But the pivot that we made is one we're taking very seriously, which is how we create a bridge from today's fifth generation to the sixth-generation NGAD, which might not be fielded for a lot of years,' Taiclet said.
'How do we bridge capability there?' Taiclet continued. 'We're going to port a lot of our own NGAD R&D over to the F-35 and potentially over to the F-22 as well.'
The CEO again stated the aspiration to develop modifications to the F-35 that mean the company can offer 80 percent of the effectiveness of a sixth-generation fighter, at 50 percent of the cost per unit. Taiclet added that, in terms of matching capabilities, the 80 percent figure also referred to the degree of stealth, as well as 'other aspects.'
The fifth-generation-plus version of the F-35 is, Taiclet contended, 'the best-value option for the U.S. government going forward; it will be only one I'm aware of that will make that bridge, for maybe 10 years.'
Not immediately clear is whether Taiclet expects a major delay on the F-47 program that will make an interim fighter a more urgent priority, although that would be one interpretation of this. As it stands, the Air Force has not said when it expects the F-47 to achieve initial operating capability. An Air Force graphic that states the F-47 would become operational between 2025 and 2029 very likely refers to the planned first flight of the F-47 and some of its developmental testing, as you can read about here.
U.S. Air Force
Although not discussed today in the course of the earnings call, in the past, Lockheed Martin has raised the possibility of a pilot-optional F-35, as well as new infrared and radar coatings. This latter modification corresponds with secretive U.S. military testing in recent years of new mirror-like coatings on F-35s, as well as F-22 Raptor and F-117 Nighthawk stealth jets.
A U.S. Navy F-35C test jet with a mirror-like coating. U.S. Navy
Other F-35 modifications discussed by the company include electronic warfare improvements, networking improvements, and autonomy.
Lockheed Martin has also previously discussed potential changes to the F-35's outer mold line, especially with regard to the engine inlets and exhaust nozzle.
Meanwhile, the feasibility of the fifth-generation-plus proposal, as well as the huge claims around the capability/cost match of such an aircraft compared to a sixth-generation design, remains very much open to question.
However, the company is confident that such advances are not only possible but can also be achieved rapidly, if required.
Earlier this year, Taiclet said he thought that, in the space of two to three years, it would be possible to port enough of the NGAD technologies over into the F-35 to provide 'a meaningful increase in capability for the F-35.'
That two-to-three-year timeline related to 'first flight and integration,' Taiclet added.
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refuels a U.S. Air Force F-35A off the coast of Greece in October 2024. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo
It's also worth noting that, earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned the so-called F-55, a purported development of the F-35. Trump described the F-55 as a twin-engined F-35 and also discussed an 'F-22 Super' that would be an upgraded version of the Raptor. The exact status of the F-55 remains unclear, if it ever existed.
Taiclet also discussed a separate 'highly classified' aeronautical program being run by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, as a part of that division's efforts to 'push the boundaries of science and technology to deliver highly advanced solutions that provide our customers a step-function advantage over potential adversaries.'
It's notable that such a project would even be mentioned, although its discussion within the context of the earnings call was limited to the losses that it has accumulated for the company.
There was no indication whether the platform is crewed or uncrewed, or what kind of mission it will fulfil, although there have been other reports of secretive Skunk Works projects going over budget.
F-35s under construction. Lockheed Martin
'This particular program discovered new insights in the quarter that required us to adjust our expected future costs on that program and then recognized the charge for doing so,' Taiclet added. 'I acknowledge the losses on this classified program are significant. Again, we are taking these charges very seriously.'
In response to the losses, Lockheed Martin has made changes to the program team management and assigned experts across the company to improve the performance and oversight of this program under what Taiclet said was 'a comprehensive risk-identification and corrective action plan.'
'This is a highly classified program that can only be described as a game-changing capability for our joint U.S. and international customers,' Taiclet added, 'and therefore it is critical that it be successfully fielded.'
With the classified program now at least being publicly acknowledged for the benefit of company shareholders, it's possible that more information about it might begin to emerge.
Clearly, however, Lockheed Martin's efforts to develop advanced new aerospace technologies encompass programs above and beyond its ongoing efforts to rework the F-35.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
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