Certainly, Lockheed Martin could not be absent from FIA2024 (Farnborough International Airshow), as one of the key players in the international aeronautics scene. The company proudly celebrates 50 years of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Starting from a solid and well-executed design, the F-16 has managed to face the increasingly complex challenges of evolving scenarios through its various evolutionary “Blocks,” becoming an advanced 4th-generation aircraft capable of operating alongside more advanced 5th-generation planes like the F-35.
Despite the F-16 production line slowly winding down, an additional update, named the “V Package,” has been provided to maintain its interoperability with more modern aircraft. This includes upgrades to avionics and radar systems.
This latest evolutionary step has become immediately popular and highly appreciated by many countries still using the F-16. Lockheed Martin currently offers this version, known as the F-16V. A new production line has been set up in South Carolina for the manufacture of this upgraded version, known as Block 70/72.
This latest Block is also the ideal aircraft for a future transition to 5th-generation planes like the F-35, meaning the latter could become the ideal successor to the F-16 for many nations still operating it. It may even surpass its predecessor in success.
The evolutionary Blocks of the Fighting Falcon have been the secret of its longevity. For this reason, during the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, we asked Lockheed Martin if the F-35, filled with rapidly evolving technology, could achieve the same longevity as its predecessor.
Lockheed Martin replied that aggressive modernization plans are already in place for the F-35 to ensure it remains at the forefront of 5th-generation aircraft. After a first modernization step called TR-2 (Technology Refresh), the company is already working with various governments, particularly the U.S. administration, on a robust technological update known as TR-3. This evolutionary step is unprecedented in aviation history and will accompany the F-35 throughout much of its operational life.
The TR-3 upgrade will focus primarily on the aircraft’s hardware, replacing and enhancing key processors, with particular attention to graphic processors. Future planes with TR-3 will be part of Block 4, featuring an incredible 75 upgrades, a significant leap compared to past updates, which usually included only 6 or 7 evolutionary improvements.
The 75 evolutionary points of TR-3 can be divided into three categories:
- Every sensor will improve in range, fidelity, sensitivity, and detection capability in different environments.
- A package will allow the aircraft to carry a larger and more diverse range of weapons. A detailed description of which weapons will be included is still pending, as Lockheed Martin is awaiting a finalized list from different armed forces.
- The final upgrade package, in the spotlight worldwide, focuses on the aircraft’s interoperability. This means gathering information from multiple sources, processing it, and distributing it to other players in an operational theater. Lockheed Martin is working on processors with “Open Mission Architecture Systems” to ensure that in the future, an aircraft will no longer be conceived as an independent entity but as part of a multi-domain network. In this scenario, the F-35 will be a key node, able to collect data from its sensors with higher precision, process it, and share it with other actors in the same operational theater, whether they be other aircraft, ground troops, naval vessels, command and control centers, or even conducting an attack or an Electronic Warfare (EW) mission.
Interoperability is the key word guiding Lockheed Martin’s efforts for the future of the F-35, meaning the ability to interact with all surrounding assets. This implies changes for other aircraft as well, with roles increasingly fulfilled by the F-35 Lightning II.
There will be fewer AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) in operational theaters, as the F-35 has better security and information-gathering capabilities compared to AWACS, which must stay miles away from potential threats. The F-35 can also provide valuable support to ground troops with CAS (Close Air Support) missions, gathering field information and acting in support, even when out of “Visual Range,” by detecting and eliminating threats more accurately.
Thus, the F-35 can replace aircraft like the A-10 Warthog, which has served as a protective force for ground troops for many years. While the sound of an A-10 flying overhead has been reassuring to troops, knowing an F-35 is in the sky, even if unheard or unseen, offers even greater assurance.
Soon, around 650 F-35s will be deployed across Europe, with strong interoperability from the start, providing reassurance for the future protection of unified European airspace. Lockheed Martin is working not only on creating unified operational protocols for the F-35 in Europe but also on establishing standardized maintenance procedures.
For example, an F-35 taking off from Italy will be able to receive technical support in the Netherlands and continue a training mission in Germany. Lockheed Martin is working with the respective governments to ensure maximum interoperability between European nations that have the F-35, developing a unified library of experiences to share among F-35 pilots, which will strengthen cooperation between air forces.
Currently, Lockheed Martin reports that these sharing policies among F-35-operating nations are not yet fully aligned. While it is gathering information from various European military forces, Lockheed Martin does not yet have clearance to share that data among them. The company expresses regret that some nations are unwilling to share information with others using one of the world’s most advanced platforms for gathering and distributing operational information. This reluctance could indicate a lack of a solid long-term defense strategy for the future of aviation.