Lockheed Martin: Sixth-Gen Tech on the F-35?
Lockheed Martin looks to add Sixth-Gen capabilities to the F-35 Lightning II at half the cost of a Sixth-Gen fighter jet.
Report and photos by Steven Valinski
April 23, 2025
In a bold move to maintain its edge in the global fighter jet market, Lockheed Martin has announced plans to transform the F-35 Lightning II into a “fifth-generation-plus” platform by integrating advanced sixth-generation technologies. This initiative comes on the heels of the company’s loss to Boeing in the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which awarded the contract for the F-47, a sixth-generation stealth fighter. Undeterred, Lockheed Martin’s CEO Jim Taiclet has outlined an ambitious vision to enhance the F-35, aiming to deliver 80% of the F-47’s capabilities at half the cost, positioning it as a cost-effective alternative for the U.S. and its allies.
In the process of developing an aircraft for the USAF’s sixth-generation fighter, advanced warfighter technologies were developed that can be used to enhance current aircraft like the F-22 and F-35.
On an earnings call on Tuesday, Taiclet had this to say:
“Our next-generation air dominance efforts advance many classified technologies that were aligned to this strategy. And we plan on applying those technologies to our current systems, making our already proven products even more relevant to the future, as well as enhancing the capabilities we provide in ongoing and future development.”
“There are techniques and capabilities … that were developed for [our NGAD bid] that we can now apply here. We’re basically going to take the [F-35’s] chassis and turn it into a Ferrari.” Taiclet said souping up fifth-generation fighters like this would allow Lockheed to deliver “80% of the capability, potentially, at 50% of the cost per unit aircraft.” Stealth technology developed for Lockheed’s NGAD bid — which include low-observable materials, geometries, and countermeasures — could make it even harder for enemy forces to find those jets. And sixth-generation-intended tracking technologies and longer-range weapons could also make the F-35 more deadly,” he added.
Taiclet elaborated further,
“So we’re basically gonna take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari. It’s like a NASCAR upgrade, so to speak. Where we can take the F-35, apply some of those co-funded technologies both from NGAD and the F-35 program, and you’re gonna have my challenge to my aeronautics team is let’s get 80% of sixth-gen capability at half the price. And that’s something that these are engineers, you know, they wouldn’t have agreed to this if they didn’t think there was a path to get there. That’s something we’re gonna go out and do. And this is this best-value approach that we’ve been working our way towards that at Lockheed Martin Corporation over the last four or five years.”
What this translates to in additional cost, and whether all F-35 partner nations will benefit from these enhanced warfighting technologies, remains to be seen. In the meantime, the benefits of a well-funded USAF NGAD program have clearly led to advancements that will improve the F-35s capabilities moving forward.
Steven is from Long Island, New York and now resides in sunny Mesa, Arizona. Steven’s love for aviation began when he was a child with a fascination for WWII aircraft. This love of aviation was further fostered by his uncle, a long-time Trans World Airlines (TWA) employee who had a passion for all forms of aviation.
Steven’s interest in photography began when he was 16 years old when he received his first SLR camera, a Minolta XGA. It makes sense that eventually his passion for aviation and photography would merge into a love for aviation photography.
In addition to being the web designer, webmaster and chief editor of Aviation Photography Digest, Steven has been published in numerous magazines worldwide.
Steven has an M.S. from Boston University and uses Nikon photographic equipment.
Steven is a Nikon NPS member.
Steven can be reached at: [email protected]