PUBLISHED on August 7, 2025, 5:43 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary – The original designer of the legendary YF-23 stealth fighter, David Cummings, has unveiled three radical concept designs for a “fifth-generation plus” F-35.
-The proposals offer a roadmap for Lockheed Martin to deliver 80% of sixth-generation capabilities at half the cost.
U.S. Air Force Major Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, F-35A Lightning ll Demonstration Team pilot and commander, flies during sunset over Mathers Airport, Calif., Sept. 24th, 2021, at the California Capital Airshow. The team consists of approximately 15 total Airmen to include the pilot and commander, pilot safety officers, superintendent, team chief, maintenance Airmen, aircrew flight equipment specialists, and public affairs personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Barley)
-The concepts range from a near-term “F-35EX” with a stretched fuselage and canards, to a medium-term tailless “F-35FX,” and a long-term “F-35GX” with a completely reshaped airframe to maximize stealth.
-These designs present a compelling, potentially cost-effective path for the U.S. to maintain future air dominance.
Three Concepts Emerge for Lockheed’s New “5.5 Gen” F-35
After losing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) contract to Boeing, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet confirmed plans to enhance its proven F-35 platform with sixth-generation technologies radically, and an industry insider just offered some ideas about how the fifth-generation fighter could be transformed.
Speaking to Aviation Week, the former chief configurator for Northrop’s YF-23 prototype stealth fighter described two strategies that Lockheed could employ to meet its goal of delivering 80% of sixth-generation capabilities at 50% of the cost.
Northrop YF-23 National Security Journal Photo. Taken on July 19, 2025.
David Cummings, who still works as an aircraft designer, told the outlet that Lockheed must focus on increasing internal fuel volume and eliminating the aircraft’s tail to enhance stealth and maneuverability.
Cummings’ comments come after he presented three concept designs for the planned F-35 “fifth-generation plus” aircraft.
YF-23 National Security Journal Close Up Photo
Based on existing concepts by Lockheed, Cummings’ designs explained three options that offer significant improvements to address short-term, medium-term, and long-term needs for the U.S. Air Force in the forms of the F-35EX, F-35FX, and F-35GX.
Here’s What’s Next for the F-35
The simplest of his designs, the F-35EX, is intended to improve performance while mainly utilizing existing F-35 parts.
The fuselage is stretched by 60 inches, adding space for more fuel and equipment while improving flight performance at high speeds.
A canard has been added to the front of the aircraft, increasing lift and assisting with pitch control. Space for an additional 4,000 lbs of fuel increases the aircraft’s range, and an external tank accommodates an additional 1,500 lbs of fuel.
The design, he says, is a quick and cost-effective upgrade that could even fill the gap caused by the Trump administration’s decision to divert resources away from the Navy’s F/A-XX program.
After losing #NGAD to #Boeing, @LockheedMartin plans to develop the #F35 to fill the gap.https://t.co/o0h4bDHPe5
— Aviation Week (@AviationWeek) August 7, 2025
The F-35FX, meanwhile, utilizes more advanced technology to bring the F-35 closer to sixth-generation performance. The design is built around the same fuselage proposed for the EX, though with a radically different tail design. Cummings said that the FX, a medium-term solution, would be fully tailless and similar in appearance to Lockheed’s X-44 Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft (MANTA) concept.
The FX would also feature delta-shaped wings that produce a lower radar signature and deliver better performance at high speeds, along with a 50% increase in internal fuel capacity compared to the F-35A.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team commander, flies over Kennewick, Washington, during the Tri-Cities Water Follies Airshow Over the River, July 30, 2023. The F-35 Demonstration Team participated in the 2023 Tri-Cities Water Follies airshow and various other events in support of their mission to recruit, retain and inspire new and old generations of Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kaitlyn Ergish)
His most ambitious design, however, is the F-35GX – a longer-term solution that builds on the FX design, but with even more radical changes to maximize stealth. The forward fuselage is completely reshaped with a 70-degree chine for improved radar deflection, and the engine inlets are relocated beneath the chine to create a cleaner top profile. Wing tips are clipped, too, to match the new chine angle, and all rear-facing edges are aligned precisely to reduce radar visibility. The result? A refined stealth configuration that pushes the F-35 to its limits.
F-35 ‘Super’ Coming Soon?
Lockheed has not yet indicated what exactly it could do going forward on what many call the F-35 ‘Super’.
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.
But with the Navy’s F/A-XX program facing funding cuts, and as China and Russia rapidly advance their own airpower capabilities, Cummings’ proposals offer compelling and potentially cost-cutting solutions for both the Air Force and the Navy.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. 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.
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Paul
August 8, 2025 at 8:45 am
Really pointless article with any what if pictures
Phuk Yamahma
August 9, 2025 at 10:29 am
80% of a 6th generation is still 20% less than one and 20% is a big disadvantage.
I dont think we should be dumping money into a project that will put us at an immediate disadvantage.