F-35, Aegis integration

An F-35 in a test this week was able to defeat an airborne threat without firing a shot. In a test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., an F-35’s sensors and networking capabilities combined to detect an over-the-horizon threat and send data to a ground unit representing an Aegis-equipped ship. The destroyer was then able to fire a missile and defeat the threat that it had not itself seen. The Navy test was the first live fire demonstration to successfully test the integration of F-35 with existing Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air architecture. The F-35B from the Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1, based in Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., acted as an elevated sensor to detect an over-the-horizon threat. The test showed the F-35 can be used as a broad area sensor and significantly increase the Aegis capability to detect, track and engage a threat. (Source: NNS, 09/13/16) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and reprogramming lab.