An F-35 fighter jet demonstrated in-air classified data-sharing with a non-US Command and Control (C2) system recently.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) collaborated for the first-ever live demonstration across borders.
An F-35 flying from Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, shared classified data with the UK’s Nexus combat cloud in Farnborough, UK.
The sharing was facilitated via a Skunk Works’ Open Systems Gateway through commercial satellite communications.
“Project DEIMOS was a hugely successful UK/US trial which clearly demonstrated the ability to take data from a live F-35 and pass this to the RAF’s NEXUS platform for exploitation,” head of rapid capabilities office, Royal Air Force, Air Commodore Chris Melville said.
“This represents a key step forward towards both a future integrated battlespace and Air Command and Control environment.”
What Was Achieved?
The effort demonstrated seamless secure data transmission between different national systems, enabled by Skunk Works’ Open Systems Gateway.
Leveraging commercial satellite communications, the effort enhances the F-35’s potential for multi-domain integration capabilities across allied forces.
It also enhances aircraft users’ operational agility and responsiveness to rapidly changing global combat environments.
“This exercise marks a breakthrough in multi-domain operations, demonstrating the F-35’s ability to share classified data via an open systems gateway with our international partners,” vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works John Clark said.
“We collaborated closely with the UK Ministry of Defence and industry to achieve this feat, highlighting the power of partnership in driving innovation,” he added.
“Collaborations like this allow us to deliver advanced capabilities quickly to meet urgent needs in an increasingly complicated global threat environment.”
