Lockheed Martin Invests $100 million in F-35 Drone Teaming

Lockheed Martin is investing $100 million into "Project Carrera" to explore human-machine pairing technology for fighter pilots and unmanned aircraft.

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, September 16, 2022 at 05:08 PM ET

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Lockheed Martin is investing $100 million into "Project Carrera" to explore human-machine pairing technology for fighter pilots and unmanned aircraft. (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

Key Takeaways:

Lockheed Martin is investing $100 million in "Project Carrera" to develop human-machine teaming, integrating F-35 fighters with autonomous "Speed Racer" drones for advanced combat scenarios.
The initiative aims to pair piloted aircraft with unmanned combat drones to extend sensor reach, increase survivability, and cost-effectively build combat mass for military services.
These drones are designed to be less costly and survivable, enabling them to perform high-risk missions, gather intelligence, and potentially be sacrificed to draw enemy fire, thereby protecting human pilots.

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In the not-too-distant future, fighter pilots will likely be juggling a network of autonomous drones in addition to their own flight decks. In this combat scenario, drones fly ahead into harm’s way and, through the power of artificial intelligence, relay information back to their operators.

It’s a concept that Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) says it is investing $100 million of its own money into to develop. The initiative, called “Project Carrera,” is set to explore human-machine pairing technology through demonstrations of its F-35 fighters teamed with unmanned Speed Racer drones equipped with capabilities such as sensing or electronic warfare. Speed Racer is a missile-shaped unmanned aircraft under development at Lockheed.