NI: Lockheed Martin eyes "pilot-optional" F-35 after NGAD contract defeat

US aerospace and defence company Lockheed Martin may be preparing to upgrade its F-35 Lightning II with advanced autonomous and sixth-generation technologies, potentially creating a “pilot-optional” stealth fighter within two to three years. 

The announcement follows the company’s failure to secure contracts for the US Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) manned fighter, which were awarded to Boeing and Northrop Grumman, Caliber.Az reports per The National Interest (NI).

Speaking at Bernstein’s Strategic Decisions Conference last week, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said that the enhanced F-35 would offer around 80 per cent of the capabilities expected in a sixth-generation fighter, but at a far lower cost than Boeing’s newly designated F-47.

“We could make the F-35 pilot-optional over a relatively modest time frame based on a lot of the development we’ve done [for NGAD],” Taiclet said. He referred to the aircraft as a “fifth-generation-plus” multirole fighter that could incorporate significant capability upgrades without requiring a total redesign.

Among the potential upgrades are improved sensors and radar systems, an enhanced electronic warfare (EW) suite, upgraded software, and an infrared-absorbing stealth coating to increase low observability. Taiclet also noted refinements to the aircraft’s “outer mould line,” including tweaks to engine inlets and nozzle flows, could yield further performance gains.

While some upgrades could be ready within two to three years, Taiclet stressed that any changes would be phased in to avoid disrupting production. The F-35’s production line has previously faced delays due to issues with the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) package, which includes both hardware and software updates. The US Department of Defense paused aircraft acceptance in 2023, only resuming deliveries after a scaled-down version of TR-3 was approved.

According to Taiclet, full combat capability for the upgraded TR-3 systems — including the Distributed Aperture System — may be achieved by the end of 2025. Once resolved, the aircraft would be cleared for frontline deployment across the US and allied forces.

The most striking advancement, however, may lie in autonomy. Lockheed Martin is developing autonomy software derived from its NGAD research, which could ultimately make the F-35 capable of flying without a pilot. While the aircraft already demonstrated limited autonomous capability — flying for 11 minutes after a pilot ejected in 2023 — full autonomy would mark a significant leap forward.

US President Donald Trump, speaking recently in Doha, claimed Lockheed Martin might even develop a twin-engine F-35 variant, dubbed the F-55 — a concept widely dismissed by aerospace experts as impractical. Nevertheless, the idea highlights continued political interest in evolving the F-35 platform.

Although an entirely unmanned F-35 is not imminent, the US Air Force remains committed to fielding autonomous aircraft. Soon, a pilot-optional F-35 could operate as a loyal wingman alongside the newly commissioned F-47, playing a critical support role in next-generation air combat.

By Aghakazim Guliyev