Key Points and Summary – Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet says the company is in “very active” talks with the Pentagon and Trump White House on a fifth-generation-plus F-35—essentially a “Ferrari” Lightning II that would integrate key technologies from Lockheed’s losing NGAD bid.
-Taiclet argues that by folding advanced sensors, stealth improvements, tracking systems, and longer-range weapons into the existing F-35 and F-22 fleets, the U.S. could reach roughly 80% of sixth-generation capability at about half the cost of Boeing’s F-47.
F-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-Much of the effort would likely remain classified, but up to 1,500 yet-to-be-delivered F-35s could emerge as “plus” variants, bolstering U.S. and allied deterrence.
F-35 Goes ‘Ferrari’: How Lockheed Wants to Turbocharge America’s Stealth Fleet
Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet revealed a few months back that the defense contractor is in “very active” discussions with the Department of War about the possibility of developing a fifth-generation-plus F-35.
The revelation comes as the Trump White House continues efforts to bolster the U.S. Air Force’s fleet with upgraded versions of existing platforms.
“There’s a very active engagement at an extremely high level with the Department of Defense, and I expect it’ll be taken to the White House sometime soon, hopefully, to consider this kind of concept,” Taiclet said at a recent Morgan Stanley event.
Taiclet also explained that the White House, in particular, is interested in ways to strengthen the U.S. military’s fleet of fifth-generation fighter aircraft, as the Air Force awaits the arrival of its sixth-generation F-47 under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
“We’ve gotten encouraging feedback…there’s significant interest in the government about discussing aircraft modernization writ large, all the way up to the administration level, the White House level, and we’re in the middle of that with them, and we’re getting heard,” he said. “We’re hearing back, and it’s pretty active.”
Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lighting IIs fly in formation with two ROKAF F-35As during Freedom Shield 25, a defense-oriented exercise featuring live, virtual, and field-based training, March 13, 2025. The aircraft participated in dynamic targeting and aerial refueling training, validating the capability of ROK and U.S. Air Forces, to find, fix, and defeat a range of threats. (Photo courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force)
A “Ferrari” Variant of the F-35
The comments follow months of speculation that the Trump administration would approve the development of what Taiclet once referred to as a “Ferrari” variant of the F-35 – a family of single-seat stealth strike fighters that first flew in 2006 and has since been deployed by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps.
Earlier this year, Lockheed revealed plans to incorporate technologies developed as part of its bid for the Air Force’s NGAD program into the F-35. While Lockheed’s sixth-generation design lost out to Boeing’s F-47 design, Taiclet has argued that the technologies originally planned for his company’s sixth-generation fighter could be incorporated into the F-35 platform.
Doing so, he said, would bring the F-35 as close as possible to a sixth-generation fighter at a fraction of the cost.
Speaking during an earnings call in April 2025, Taiclet said that the technology would also be incorporated into the F-22 Raptor platform.
“There are techniques and capabilities…that were developed for [NGAD design] that we can now apply here,” he said, adding that the F-35’s chassis will be turned into a “Ferrari.” The Lockheed CEO also said that the F-35 could technically reach 80% sixth-generation capability at roughly 50% of the cost of Boeing’s F-47.
Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs, assigned to the 4th Fighter Squadron from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, conduct flight training operations over the Utah Test and Training Range on Feb 14, 2018. The F-35 is designed to provide the pilot with unsurpassed situational awareness, positive target identification and precision strike in all weather conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Lee)
Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team commander and pilot performs a dedication pass in an F-35A Lightning II during the 2019 Wings Over Wayne Airshow April 27, 2019, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The WOW Airshow marks the third public performance of the F-35 Demo Team’s new aerial demonstration during 2019 airshow season.
“Eventually, there’ll be 3,500 of those chassis out there at various stages of technology and capability,” he said. “We think we can get most of the way to sixth-gen at half the cost.”
While much of the technologies developed for Lockheed’s NGAD bid remain under wraps, Taiclet did reveal that some advanced tech is already scheduled to be included in upcoming Block 4 upgrades for existing F-35S – some of which was funded by the government as part of NGAD research, while others were completely self-funded by Lockheed.
Among them were improved passive infrared sensors, which would allow the aircraft to detect enemies from a long distance – without alerting the enemy to the F-35’s position. New stealth technology is also expected to be incorporated into the upgraded F-35s – should a contract be signed – making the F-35s more difficult to identify. Additionally, a number of sixth-generation tracking technologies could be included in the upgrade, as well as upgraded, long-range weapons.
Will It Be Kept Under Wraps?
While Lockheed is pushing for the U.S. government to procure its proposed fifth-generation-plus fighters, Taiclet suggested during his most recent comments that a contract may be kept somewhat under wraps. Citing classified materials and technologies, Taiclet said that the U.S. military may prefer to contract Lockheed to develop the jets without much in the way of public disclosure.
“The way to contract this will probably not be visible to folks, because it will have so much classified content that it may not be disclosable, but I’m really quite confident that this concept has great merit,” he explained.
An F-35A Lighting II takes off for a Red Flag-Nellis 24-2 night mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, March 18, 2024. The presence of the F-35s offers the U.S., Allies, and partners a versatile and highly capable system, enhancing collective defense measures while reinforcing the NATO Alliance’s commitment to leveraging top-tier military capabilities for regional security and deterrence. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Jimmy Cummings)
“We can provide value at that level, at that scale, by integrating sixth-generation technology, digital and physical, into our aircraft we’re already building.”
Should the Trump White House move forward with the plans, it could mean that existing F-35s that have yet to be delivered may receive the upgrades. Taiclet confirmed that of the 2,300 F-35s that have not yet been delivered, as many as 1,500 could be fifth-generation-plus.
Good News All Round?
If Lockheed’s fifth-generation-plus F-35 proposal moves forward, its strategic implications could be wide ranging. First, the U.S. would gain a relatively rapid way to stay ahead in terms of aerial competition, fielding what is almost a sixth-generation aircraft in substantial numbers fairly quickly.
Having access to that kind of technology, while NGAD plows ahead and adversaries like China rapidly advance their own stealth and long-range capabilities, would provide valuable deterrence assets as tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific region. An upgraded F-35 fitted with NGAD technology could effectively serve as a bridge until larger sixth-generation fleets are built out, preserving American air dominance at a fraction of the cost of rapidly scaling the sixth-generation program.
Then, there’s the export potential. The existing roster of F-35 partner and buyer nations is long; it included Australia, Finland, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and a host of NATO allies already either using or considering using the F-35. However, it remains unclear at this stage whether these upgraded “plus” variants could be sold to foreign partners.
If the “Ferrari’ F-35 becomes reality, it could strengthen both U.S. deterrence and offer allies a much-needed boost as Russia and China continue to increase their military spending and flex their figurative muscles.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
