May 5, 2021
Warfare at Speed: U.S. Fighter Jets’ Threat Response Just Got Faster
U-2 spy planes, F-35s, F-22s, and ground control are now talking to each other at super speeds.
by Kris Osborn
When a U-2 spy plane can pass target details to an F-22 fighter jet, an F-35 fighter jet, and ground control center all at once, in near real-time, amid heavy multi-domain combat, the speed and operational efficiency of warfare attack change dramatically.
Achieving this kind of “warfare at speed” was the intent, and the apparent result of a recent test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency and Air Force with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division. Operating at high altitudes, a U-2 spy plane sent data concurrently to five F-35 jets, one F-22 jet, and a ground control station concurrently using a specially configured “gateway” payload built into the U-2 Dragon Lady. The test, which is reported to have yielded promising results, was part of Skunk Works’ ongoing Project Hydra program.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/warfare-speed-us-fighter-jets%E2%80%99-threat-response-just-got-faster-184450
