Miles Jamison
Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force, has completed the initial flight test of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, or LRASM, weapon system on the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
The company said Tuesday the test builds on the demonstration of the LRASM integration on the F-35C aircraft conducted in September 2024.
Enhancing the F-35 Lightning II
The F-35’s Block 4 upgrade, part of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet’s modernization efforts, involves the integration of AGM-158 strike systems into the aircraft’s external carriage. This is intended to integrate advanced technologies into the F-35 and enhance its multi-role mission capabilities.
Jon Hill, vice president and general manager of air dominance and strike weapons at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said, “Integration of the AGM-158 strike systems family delivers increased reach and lethality against heavily protected, strategic targets.”
Chauncey McIntosh, vice president and general manager of the F-35 program at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, added, “The integration of these systems further demonstrates how we continue to add the most advanced capabilities to the F-35 to ensure it will remain a dominant force, owning the skies for decades to come.”
