Eyes in the Sky: Unlocking the Power of Interoperability

At the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025, our platforms and technologies will be featured in the skies and on the ground alongside our customers, highlighting the advanced capabilities that drive seamless communication and coordination across aircraft, systems and allied nations. This level of interoperability strengthens collective defense and helps ensure readiness against evolving global threats.

True to RIAT’s "eyes in the skies" theme this year, integrated capabilities allow forces to detect, track and respond to threats in real-time. The F-35's advanced technologies enable it to collect, process and share critical information in real-time, allowing it to counter increasingly complex threats. A proof point for this connectivity came last year when our Skunk Works® team and the Royal Air Force (RAF) successfully completed Project DEIMOS, the first-ever live fly F-35 classified data-share with a non-U.S. Command and Control (C2) system. Recently, Danish F-35s in Texas shared classified data to their team in Denmark via an Open Systems Gateway through commercial satellite communications. The F-35 can also share information with other forces, including naval units and 4th gen fighters like the F-16, expanding the reach of information used to track and deter threats.

 

Danish F-35s recently sent classified data in-flight from Texas to Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark.

Best in-class tech development often starts with military technology. SkyKeeper, a Lockheed Martin Command and Control system, was initially developed in the UK to support military missions. It is in-service with the British Army as part of its Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability. SkyKeeper has also supported civilian security at events like the G7 Summit and COP26.

 

PHOTO CREDIT: @Comd7ADGp - LEAPP at the G7 World Summit 2021, Cornwall United Kingdom

The UK sovereign capability, designed by Lockheed Martin Engineers at its Ampthill Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering facility, for the British Army, has brought fundamental change to land environment operations since it came into service in 2015, and remains successfully operational today.

Integral to this ecosystem of interoperability is intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). For 70 years, the U-2 has owned the stratosphere—flying at 70,000 feet with unmatched endurance, versatility and mission success. Born from the bold vision of Skunk Works in 1955, the U-2 is still shattering limits and redefining what is possible in aviation and intelligence gathering. It soars beyond the reach of adversaries, delivering critical insights from altitudes no one imagined at its inception. The U-2’s operations underscore the importance of strategic partnerships, flying from key bases such as RAF Cosford, home to RIAT. Today, the U-2 continues to fly high as its spirit of innovation and determination remains unbroken, tackling the toughest national security challenges with urgency and ingenuity.

More recently, another Skunk Works technology has broadened the ISR capability of the British Army. The TIQUILA programme, Skunk Works first major international contract award, comprises two sizes of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) for the British Army and achieved the major milestone of IOC in March 2025.

But interoperability is not just about hardware and software – it's also about data. Our systems are designed to collect, analyze, and share vast amounts of data in real-time, providing defense forces with the insights they need to make informed decisions. This data-driven approach is critical for effective deterrence, allowing allies to anticipate and respond to threats before they escalate. By leveraging innovation and interoperability, we're helping to create a safer, more secure world.