Lockheed Martin has announced a major milestone for its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which can now serve as a central command hub for advanced drones such as the US Air Force’s future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).  

In a press release dated January 22, the US-based defense giant detailed its recent testing achievements. This breakthrough, powered by artificial intelligence, is a major success in crewed-uncrewed teaming and operational integration. 

The tests demonstrated the F-35’s capability to control multiple drones seamlessly using AI-enabled architectures. This includes a tablet-like touchscreen interface that allows pilots to direct drones from the cockpits of the F-35. 

This technology also extends to the F-22 Raptor, demonstrating a seamless, user-friendly method for pilots to command uncrewed aircraft while in flight. 

That said, the achievement brings to life the Air Force’s vision of a family of systems where AI and human controllers work together seamlessly in combat scenarios. 

Lockheed Martin’s advancements indicate that future missions will see AI-driven architectures playing a central role in piloted-uncrewed coordination. 

The company said that the tests, which involved the F-35, showed successful end-to-end connectivity, including the integration of AI technologies to control drones in flight. 

These AI-powered systems augment the capacity of crewed aircraft to collaborate with drones and pave the way for continuous advancements, propelling the US Air Force’s vision of a cohesive network of cutting-edge combat systems. 

The capability to command multiple drones through a touchscreen interface in the cockpit of 5th-generation aircraft such as the F-35 and F-22 profoundly improves operational agility to help pilots direct unmanned assets to engage adversarial targets with precision. 

Lockheed Martin also mentioned that its progress is the result of collaborative efforts with various partners, including the University of Iowa’s Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL), which has supported research into autonomous systems and drone technologies. 

In November 2024, the company, in partnership with OPL, revealed that it had successfully demonstrated how an airborne battle manager could issue real-time commands to AI-controlled aircraft via a touchscreen pilot vehicle interface (PVI).

During these flight tests, a human battle manager aboard an L-39 Albatros assigned targets to two AI-operated L-29 Delfin jets. The AI-driven jets coordinated their efforts to neutralize two simulated enemy aircraft using mock mission systems and weapons.

US Air Force’s CCA program

The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has emerged as one of the most closely watched initiatives within the US Air Force over the past year. Central to this vision is the development of loyal wingman drones that will operate alongside crewed fighters. 

These drones will serve as force multipliers and form the backbone of the military’s next-generation aerial capabilities.

This ambitious program, however, presents significant challenges, from determining how the systems will be deployed to ensuring the readiness of the underlying technology and identifying the companies that will bring these concepts to life. 

Currently, the program operates in iterative phases, with Anduril and General Atomics working on Increment 1, which focuses on developing initial drone designs. A host of other contractors contribute to related efforts, such as advancing autonomous capabilities and refining control systems.

As the Air Force continues to define the parameters for Increment 2, expectations are rising for more sophisticated uncrewed aircraft with enhanced capabilities, albeit at a higher cost. 

After its unsuccessful pitch for Increment 1 with a highly advanced stealth drone, Lockheed Martin has shifted its focus toward lower-cost designs, some of which may be expendable.

The scale of the program is substantial. The Air Force has indicated plans to procure between 100 and 150 Increment 1 drones and potentially thousands across all future phases. 

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been identified as a key platform for integrating these drones, with Lockheed Martin already laying the groundwork for seamless collaboration. In October 2024, the company announced investments in technologies that will help the F-35 to control up to eight autonomous CCAs simultaneously.

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has set a long-term vision for a fleet of approximately 1,000 CCAs to accompany the F-35A and the forthcoming Next Generation Air Dominance fighter. 

These drones will perform diverse roles, including strike missions, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and decoy operations. Nonetheless, affordability remains a cornerstone of the program, with Kendall noting that each drone must cost significantly less than an F-35. 

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