US defense corporation Lockheed Martin is integrating new artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter to enhance threat detection and target identification capabilities in complex combat environments.
The new technology called Combat ID, is a combat identification system enhanced by AI that has been tested within the Overwatch Project at Nellis Air Force Base (USA).
This system is directly integrated into the F-35's information integration platform, which synthesizes data from radar, sensors and other intelligence sources to assist pilots in making decisions.
According to Lockheed Martin, Combat ID helps separate overlapping signals and handle ambiguities between sources of radiation, thereby significantly improving situational awareness throughout the flight.
In the modern combat environment, where dense and constantly changing electronic signals, the ability to accurately identify where the target is, where the turbulence is, is crucial.
The highlight of the test lies in the speed of updating. After detecting new sources during flight, engineers can attach data tags, retrain the AI model in just a few minutes and reload the system before the aircraft performs the next mission, all in the same planning cycle.
This allows the F-35 to adapt quickly to constantly changing threats.
Mr. Jake Wertz, Vice President in charge of F-35 Combat Systems at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said this is proof of the application of 6th generation technology to the 5th generation aircraft platform.
According to Mr. Wertz, the ability to reprogram an AI model right on the spot is a key factor to maintain tactical advantage.
In terms of technical specifications, the F-35 is 15.7 m long and 4.38 m high, suitable for operation on standard runways.
The aircraft has a hollow weight of about 13.29 tons and can carry weapons loads up to 8.16 tons.
Typical weapon configurations include a 25 mm GAU-22/A gun, two AIM-120C/D air-to-air missiles and two GBU-31 JDAM precision-guided bombs.
This fighter has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 (about 1,960 km/h) and an operating range of about 2,200 km per mission.
However, according to analysts, the competitive advantage in the future lies not only in hardware parameters but also in the speed of software upgrades and adaptability thanks to AI.
With the new move, Lockheed Martin shows a trend shifting to an improved software-based model, where updates can be quickly deployed to keep up with the increasingly complex combat environment.
