Lockheed Eyes Better Stealth, Unmanned Option for F-35

Lockheed eyes better stealth, unmanned option for F-35

Advanced stealth capabilities, new weapons and possibly even an unmanned piloting option could be in the works for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as the company seeks to boost the jet with sixth-generation technology.In a webcast of a Wednesday discussion at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York, Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet expressed confidence the company could have a “meaningful increase” of capabilities for the F-35 ready in two or th…

Lockheed CEO Announces Option For Unmanned F-35 Operations: Pitches ‘5+ Generation’ Stealth Upgrades

Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet has stated that a future variant of the F-35 fifth generation fighter could have the ability to fly missions without its pilot, which would mark a major shift in the program that could potentially allow services such as the U.S. Air Force to better manage issues of pilot shortages. “We could make the F-35 pilot optional over a relatively modest time frame based on a lot of the development we’ve done” for sixth-gen…

Lockheed pitches pilot-optional F-35

The company is hoping the Pentagon will buy into plans to “supercharge” the F-35.

Lockheed CEO: F-35 upgrade could include 'optionally manned' autonomy

Lockheed Martin is eyeing "optionally manned" autonomy for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as part of its proposed "fifth-generation-plus" capability improvement offerings, CEO Jim Taiclet said today. “The kinds of technologies we’re speaking about are coatings, for example, stealth coatings, both infrared and radar coatings, on the aircraft surface,” Taiclet said during Bernstein’s Annual Strategic Decisions Conference. “There’s also electronic w…

Lockheed has path to pilot-optional F-35, CEO says

“We could make the F-35 pilot optional over a relatively modest time frame based on a lot of the development we've done” for sixth-generation fighter competitions, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said.

Future of Marines, F-35 seems still undetermined – The Island News – Beaufort, SC

By Scott Graber Almost every day a Marine Corps jet — the F-35 Lightning — passes over our heads here in Beaufort. Some below may know the $100 million cost of this jet; others may know that the helmet itself is a $400,000 add-on. But few know the capability or the geopolitical role that comes with this remarkable weapon. The F-35 is a single-engine, single-seat stealth fighter with a combat range of 770 miles and a maximum speed of 800 mph. It …