Demonstration Showcases F-35's Role As An Elevated Sensor And The Keystone Of The Joint Force

Lockheed Martin, the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) Project Office and U.S. Air Force successfully integrated F-35 track data with the IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) during Orange Flag Evaluation (OFE) 19-2 at Palmdale, CA and Fort Bliss, Texas.

This was the first-time live F-35 track data has been sent to IBCS via the F-35 ground station and F-35-IBCS adaptation kit, both developed by Lockheed Martin. This allowed IBCS to receive and develop fire control quality composite tracks during the exercise, leveraging the F-35 as an elevated sensor.  This capability enables multi-domain operations and the detection of threats that could challenge ground-based sensors.  

“This demonstration represents a significant growth in capability for the Army IAMD program and Army for multi-domain operations. The capability creates additional battlespace awareness, and the ability to track incoming targets and take action, if necessary,” said Scott Arnold, vice president and deputy of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The F-35, with its advanced sensors and connectivity, is able to gather and seamlessly share critical information enabling greater joint force protection and a higher level of lethality of Army IAMD forces.”

This capability further demonstrates the Army IAMD program’s ability to gather sensor data from multiple platforms and is another building block for the future Army IAMD force. In 2016, the F-35 and Aegis Combat System successfully demonstrated the integration of the F-35 in support Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA).  The F-35 ground station has been relocated to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to support follow on F-35 integration testing during AIAMD developmental testing.

(Image provided with Lockheed Martin news release)

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com