Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division has announced a major milestone in air combat development: a 5th-generation fighter pilot controlled an unmanned aerial system directly from the cockpit during a test flight at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. According to the company, an F-22 Raptor pilot used an open-architecture interface to send mission commands to another airborne drone.
OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Skunk Works, highlighted the breakthrough, stating:
“This demonstration shows how single-seat fighters can command drones through simple, intuitive cockpit interfaces—an important leap forward in air combat capability.”
The flight involved a pilot vehicle interface that allowed the Raptor pilot to guide the drone through a scripted mission profile. Lockheed Martin emphasised that the system is flexible and designed for integration with both current and future combat aircraft.
The test showcased real-time human-machine teaming, underscoring advancements in autonomy and AI-enabled operations. Lockheed Martin has been developing manned-unmanned teaming concepts for platforms such as the F-22 and F-35 as part of broader next-generation air combat initiatives.
According to the company, the milestone supports the U.S. Air Force’s “family of systems” vision—enhancing situational awareness, interoperability, survivability, and operational flexibility. Aligning the F-22 with emerging autonomous systems is expected to further strengthen U.S. airpower dominance.
Lockheed Martin added that its iterative approach to designing and testing 5th-Gen teaming technologies places the company at the forefront of future air combat development. The Nellis demonstration, it said, is one of several steps that illustrate how tomorrow’s battlespace will increasingly rely on collaborative manned-unmanned operations.
