Lockheed Martin conducted a flight test of an Artificial Intelligence enhanced Combat Identification capability integrated into the F-35’s information fusion system, in a demonstration known as Project Overwatch at Nellis Air Force, Nevada. The event marked the first time a tactical Artificial Intelligence model has been used in flight to generate an independent Combat ID on the pilot’s display. The effort is presented as part of a broader push across the company to innovate with intent, accelerate capability at scale with speed, and meet warfighters’ real-time needs in an evolving threat environment.
During the Project Overwatch test flight, a Lockheed Martin built and trained Artificial Intelligence and machine learning model resolved ID ambiguities among emitters, which improved situational awareness and reduced pilot decision making latency. Engineers then used an automated tool to label new emitters, retrain the Artificial Intelligence model to learn the new emitter class within minutes, and reload the updated model for the next flight, all in the same mission planning cycle. The company highlighted prior use of innovative methods to deploy real-time, over-the-air software updates to the Aegis multi-mission combat system on deployed U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea to enable rapid counter-measures against advanced drone and missile threats.
Lockheed Martin states that embedding this advanced Artificial Intelligence into the F-35’s mission system helps pilots understand threats faster so they can make decisions more quickly, and it plans to expand the model’s training to further enhance reliability and accuracy. Jake Wertz, vice president of F-35 combat systems at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, described the effort as bringing 6th generation technology to a 5th generation platform, and emphasized the ability to re-program the Artificial Intelligence model on the ground and have updates ready for the next sortie as essential for maintaining a tactical edge. The company points to decades of investment and innovation in Artificial Intelligence and says initiatives like Project Overwatch will inform future development and potential integration pathways. With 12 nations operating the F-35 across the global fleet, and more than 1,300 aircraft in service, the company positions these advances as key to keeping the platform at the cutting edge and maintaining its role in global security for decades to come.
