What do F-35 upgrades have in common with Ferrari?
According to Lockheed Martin’s CEO, the company plans to handle the F-35 Lightning II as a supercar-like upgrade.
This upgrade creates the “5th Gen-Plus” for the F-35. This will create a new and improved fighter jet with advanced stealth capabilities, new weapons, and perhaps unmanned pilot options in the next three years.
The original pitches at the company were different.
Lockheed Martin has developed these new technologies as part of its bid to build a sixth generation Next Generation Air Domination (NGAD) fighter jet.
However, the US Air Force went instead with Boeing’s proposal, and President Trump announced that the new fighter plane would be called the F-47.
“The F-47 will become the most advanced, most capable and deadly aircraft ever built,” he said.
But that hasn’t stopped Lockheed Martin.
The defense company plans to create an upgrade that takes advantage of 80% of the F-47’s features.
Lockheed Martin says the information is classified and doesn’t include it in detail.
But here is what we already know.
The company uses this technology to increase the F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet more capabilities and at half the cost of NGAD.
The F-35’s body shape and its stealth coating fits to better avoid infrared and radar signals, but the engine’s outflow nozzle changes to make it stealth.
It also has better electronic warfare capabilities, networking and autonomy, making it a pilot option.
According to Lockheed Martin CEO, some of the weapons designed for the sixth generation bid can be used with the F-35 Arsenal.
These include directional energy weapons such as lasers, high-sonic weapons and new airborne missiles.
The 5th generation and F-35 integrate the AGM-158 strike system (a joint air-to-air standoff missile and a precision guided intelligent anti-ship missile).
There are also plans to upgrade long-range target detection, sixth-generation tracking systems, and infrared systems for long-range weapons.
New sensors allow jets to detect threats further away without warning enemies about their location.
They are also looking at ways that can better interact with other aircraft, such as sixth generation airplanes, drones such as joint aircraft, and other technologies as part of the “family of systems” concept.
Why is the F-35 so capable?
The F-35 can travel at supersonic speeds at Mach 1.6, which is 1,200 mph.
One pilot is stationed.
It can reach a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet and has a maximum weapon payload of 18,000 pounds.
It has 40,000 pounds of thrust when reheated. This means that fuel can be burned after the engine’s main combustion cycle, making it more powerful due to takeoff, combat operations and rapid acceleration.
It is equipped with Pratt and Whitney F135 turbofan engines and is considered the cutting edge integrated engine control system ever made.
The F-35’s advanced electronic warfare system allows pilots to engage or jam electromagnetic threats.
This is an advanced multi-roll fighter with three variations.
The F-35A was built for traditional takeoff and landing.
The F-35B is a STOVL or a short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft.
The F-35C has larger wings for landing on an aircraft carrier with catapults and trap systems, reinforced landing gear and special tail hooks.
Despite Lockheed Martin’s defeat to rival Boeing, the message is clear. The fifth generation could still evolve – and it is going to lead that evolution.
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