An F-35 stealth fighter flying in Texas sent classified data to an air base 5,000 miles away in Denmark
The demonstration showed how the stealth fighter can gather critical intel and export it to allies.
The F-35's advanced sensors and avionics allow it to act as the quarterback for a given mission.
US defense contractor Lockheed Martin said one of its F-35 stealth fighters sent classified data from Texas to a command center about 5,000 miles away in Denmark, calling this a milestone and a successful demonstration of how systems work together.
Danish military F-35s flying out of Fort Worth exported the data via DAGGR-2, made by Lockheed's Advanced Development Programs, also known as Skunk Works. The command-and-control system then passed the classified information through commercial satellite communications to Denmark's Skrydstrup Air Base.
In a statement on Monday, Lockheed said that "this is another success in a series of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations proving the F-35's ability to serve as a powerful force multiplier, enabling allied forces to rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities to connect systems across the battlespace."
Simply put, the advantages of the F-35 aren't limited to the munitions it carries. The stealth fighter can boost situational awareness and quarterback assets to make them more effective.
Danish Air Chief Maj. Gen. Jan Dam hailed the recent data demonstration as a "significant milestone toward enhancing Denmark's capabilities, as it enabled our MDO staff to witness in real-time the potential of the F-35's ability to collect, analyse and share advanced data across geographically dispersed networks."
Denmark is one of the eight countries that made up the original multinational F-35 program. The fifth-generation stealth fighter jet has been sold to 12 additional countries around the world, and over 1,200 aircraft have already been delivered to these militaries, including the US, since the first plane rolled off the production line nearly two decades ago.
The F-35 is considered to be a key component of American airpower. Not only can it penetrate contested airspace, but it can also quarterback the mission, leading the team even if it doesn't fire any weapons using its high-end sensors and advanced networking capabilities.
The recent demonstration highlights how the F-35 can effectively gather critical information and distribute it to allies. Past exercises involving the aircraft have underscored this capability.
In April, Lockheed shared that a Danish F-35 relayed sensitive data to a command center at Leeuwarden Air Base during the NATo air exercise Ramstein Flag 2025, and that information was then passed to a rocket artillery system to enable a kill.
OJ Sanchez, Skunk Works' vice president and general manager, said that the collaboration with Denmark has "enabled us to do what we do best at Skunk Works — rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities at a pace unparalleled in the industry and prove it through real-world flights."
The US operates all three F-35 variants — the A for conventional take-off and landing, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for ship-based operations — and has used each one in combat operations in the Middle East. Denmark's air force uses the F-35A for its operations.
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