Following the loss in the US Air Force's sixth-generation fighter competition, the CEO of Loskeed Martin set a clear task for the company's aviation division: to create a "fifth generation plus" version of the F-35, which will offer 80% of the capabilities of the future F-47 at "half the price", writes Defense News.
&P;During a conference call with investors a few days ago, Jim Tieklet announced that the world's largest defense contractor will not appeal the Air Force's decision to award the fighter program from next fall. (NGAD) to Boeing.
Instead, Loskead will focus all its efforts on improving its flagship stealth fighter in the hope of luring the Pentagon with a cheaper alternative to a sixth-generation fighter.
"We're basically going to take the body and turn it into a Ferrari," said Tieclet.
Πo smoke Our engineers have all agreed with this approach, and this is the biggest evidence that it is achievable.
The model, for obvious reasons, has refused to disclose all the improvements that could make up an improved version of the F-35 from Loskead, but it does mention some types of technologies that could be included, such as a new advanced passive infrared radar.
"There are some techniques that we used for our NGAD proposal that could be applied, whether it's materials, geometries or stealth countermeasures," he added. Other key elements include new weapons and tracking systems that could help increase the range over which an enemy target can be engaged.
Loskhed hopes to "build export capability into each of these components" — some of which are already part of the F-35 program through the Vlosk 4 modernization program, but the US government will have the last say on which improvements will be presented to international F-35 customers, as is clear from the smoke from the noses of Lockheed Martin.
Following the company's loss in the NGAD competition, it is called excluded from the sixth-generation fighter market, so it no longer participates in the fleet's F/A-XX program.
Losehead's strategy to offer a "fifth-generation plus" version of the F-35 resembles that of rival fighter manufacturer Boeing following Lockheed's victory in the Joint Strike Fighter competition in 2001. The JSF was renamed the F-35.
In the decade following this loss, Boeing offered advanced "fourth generation plus" versions of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15 Eagle — In the UK, the BBC is reportedly ordering F-15EX.
ΠThe problem here is that the F-35 modernization program has been plagued by major delays for a variety of reasons. A complete redesign of the platform seems particularly vulnerable to such problems.
Furthermore, the F-15EX was also designed with export in mind. At the moment, the future of the F-35 on the market is in doubt due to doubts that Washington can in one way or another limit the capabilities of the machines, which are in service with the European members of HATO.