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 and demonstrate manned-unmanned teaming, integrating F-35 fighters with autonomous "Speed Racer" drones for future combat operations.
This initiative aims to create a cost-effective way to build mass, extend networked sensor reach, increase the survivability of piloted platforms, and enhance data collection for tactical decisions.
Military leadership, including the U.S. Air Force, champions the concept of pairing unmanned combat platforms with piloted aircraft, exploring options like Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat to team with next-generation fighters.

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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.