Lockheed Martin Tests AI Combat Identification System on F-35 in Flight

Lockheed Martin has tested an artificial intelligence-powered Combat Identification capability integrated into the F-35 Lightning II mission system during flight, marking the first time a tactical AI model independently generated a Combat ID directly on the pilot’s display.

The demonstration took place under Project Overwatch at Nellis Air Force Base. An AI and machine learning model developed by the company resolved identification ambiguities between emitters during the sortie, improving situational awareness and reducing pilot decision-making delay.

Engineers used an automated tool to label new emitters and retrain the AI model to recognize an additional class of emitters. The updated model was reloaded for the next flight within the same mission planning cycle.

Lockheed Martin linked the effort to its broader software modernization work, including real-time, over-the-air updates to the Aegis Combat System on U.S. Navy ships operating in the Red Sea to counter drone and missile threats.

Jake Wertz, Vice President of F-35 Combat Systems at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said, “This is a demonstration of bringing 6th-generation technology to a 5th-generation platform. Equally important is our ability to reprogram the AI model on the ground and have those updates ready for the next sortie — a fundamental step toward maintaining tactical superiority in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.”

Flight test data from Project Overwatch will inform future development and integration planning. The F-35 fleet now includes more than 1,300 aircraft in service across 12 countries.