USAF demonstrates in-flight communication between F-35 and F-22 jets 04 May 2021 (Last Updated May 4th, 2021 16:32)
The US Air Force (USAF) has demonstrated in-flight communication between F-35 and F-22 stealth jets during a flight test.
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The US Air Force (USAF) has demonstrated in-flight communication between F-35 and F-22 stealth jets during a flight test.
The initiative, named Project Hydra, utilised an Open Systems Gateway (OSG) payload on board the U-2 spyplane to connect the fighter jets.
Conducted jointly by USAF, the Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the flight test involved five F-35s and an F-22 aircraft.
Ever since the F-22 was introduced in 2005, it's been recognized as one of the most capable fighter planes in the world. However, it isn't very good at directly sharing data with anything other than other F-22s. Project Hydra is changing that.
Critical F-35, F-22 and U-2 Data Enhanced Operating Picture During Flight Test
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Air Force successfully linked a U-2, five F-35s and an F-22 in air and provided real-time 5th Generation data to operators on the ground, introducing greater mission flexibility across domains and an enhanced total operational picture for the joint warfighter.
Named Project Hydra, the latest flight test leveraged an Open Systems Gateway (OSG) payload aboard the U-2 to connect an F-22 to five F-35s via native Intra-Flight Data Link (IFDL) and Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), successfully sharing data between all airborne aircraft and with nodes on the ground. The target tracks were also transmitted by and through the U-2 into the fighter avionics and pilot displays.
By Garrett Reim2021-05-03T23:51:00+01:00
The US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters passed data to one another using a communications gateway aboard a Lockheed U-2 spyplane.
The F-35’s Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) and the F-22’s Intra-Flight Data Link are incompatible, so the two aircraft types cannot transmit data to each other.
Source: US Air Force
US Air Force F-35A stealth fighter
To get around that problem, the USAF, Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed used an “Open Systems Gateway” communications payload aboard a U-2 to pass data between one F-22 and five F-35s, Lockheed said on 3 May. The gateway also allowed the stealth aircraft to share data with units on the ground. And, target tracks were transmitted by and through the U-2 into the fighters’ avionics and pilot displays, the company says.
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Project Hydra
In a first, the U.S. Air Force’s F-35 and F-22 stealth jets were able to exchange data freely in flight via a U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane.
Today, Lockheed Martin said the company along with the Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency managed to link a U-2, five F-35s and an F-22 in air and provided real-time 5th Generation data to operators on the ground.
Named Project Hydra, the latest flight test leveraged an Open Systems Gateway (OSG) payload aboard the U-2 to connect an F-22 to five F-35s via native Intra-Flight Data Link (IFDL) and Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), successfully sharing data between all airborne aircraft and with nodes on the ground. The target tracks were also transmitted by and through the U-2 into the fighter avionics and pilot displays.