Key Points and Summary – After a bruising decade, the F-35 is poised for a meaningful leap. Block 4—enabled by the TR-3 hardware/software refresh—adds heavier compute, sharper sensors, a wider weapons menu, and far better data-sharing so the jet can act as a true battlespace hub.
-Combat use by Israel’s F-35I and a Dutch demo piping live classified data to ground fires hint at the payoff: faster kills, joint effects, fewer gaps.
Tyndall Air Force Base’s latest U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II sits on the flight line at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Aug. 16, 2024. Tyndall received its newest aircraft on Aug. 12, 2024. The F-35A showcases advanced technology and interoperability for collaborative defense operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Victoria Moehlman)
-Yes, delays and politics linger, and some buyers are hedging with European jets. But if Block 4 delivers by the early 2030s, the “flying computer” may finally justify its time and cost.
The Great F-35 Block 4 Update Is Coming
The F-35 just keeps getting better and better, and Lockheed Martin has even more improvements in store. The Lightning II is transitioning to its Block 4 standard in the coming years, which will excite pilots as they graduate to flying the new models. This is considered an “aggressive” group of upgrades—possibly the most advanced in the history of the fighter jet.
Block 4 Designation Is Worth the Wait
The update package is made possible by the “Technology Refresh 3” of new hardware and software systems for the Block 4 variants.
Block 4 aims to enhance the pilot experience beyond previous F-35 models. There will be sophisticated new computing power and artificial intelligence in the cockpit with better digital displays and graphics generation.
“We must bring Block 4 in, because we know that the threat continues to evolve, and we have to stay ahead of it,” J.R. McDonald, vice president of business development for the F-35 program, told a gaggle of journalists at the Paris Air Show in June.
“Number one, all of the sensors [are] being improved dramatically. Number two, the ability to carry more and different types of weapons. And number three, and I think this will become the ultimate game-changer, is the additional interoperability features that will allow us to communicate across the domains and be that central node in the battlespace,” he said.
The F-35 Needs Some Good News
These are difficult times for the F-35 program. Nineteen partner countries operate the airplane, but a stubborn group of militaries, including those from Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, and Portugal, are bellyaching in some way about the Lightning II. These states are either reconsidering, canceling, or refusing to buy the F-35.
Other European fighter jets, such as the JAS 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, are being considered by those who are balking at the F-35.
JAS 39 Gripen Fighter from Back in 2017. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Israelis Love Their F-35I Mods
But the Lightning II is proving its mettle in combat. The Israelis have their own modified version called the F-35I Adir. This warplane has been instrumental in blasting Iranian air defenses and nuclear infrastructure without losing an airplane in recent engagements against Iran. The combat prowess has some aerospace analysts suggesting that the F-35I could be the best fighter jet in the world.
The Netherlands Is Also Happy With The F-35
The F-35 Block 4 updates will focus on enhancing data sharing and fusion capabilities with US-NATO allies that operate the aircraft. The Dutch showed off these new capabilities at the Ramstein Flag military exercises this spring. Lockheed’s vaunted Skunk Works division created a feature called the Open Systems Gateway.
“For the first time ever, we took live classified data from a Dutch F-35, and we were able to download that data through this gateway system and actually insert it into their command-and-control system,” Lockheed’s Greg Ulmer said. “Think classified data going through a gateway, getting the appropriate tweaks, modification of that data, downloaded [for] the first time outside of US control [in] that Dutch command-and-control system. The data was then transmitted to a ground-based rocket artillery system, which engaged a ground target, and we confirmed successful takedown.”
The F-35 must continue to improve in this manner. The combat environment continues to evolve in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and East Asia. China is producing more of its stealth fighters, such as the J-20 and J-35.
Russia has the Su-57 and Su-75. Israel must deal with a dangerous neighborhood and threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis terrorists in Yemen. It would be beneficial if Israel could share some of its F-35I technology with other countries. However, the Israelis are often reticent to share their innovative breakthroughs, even with their closest allies.
Su-75 Checkmate. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Israel has made great use of the F-35’s capability for updated mission data files that can be altered for each sortie depending on lessons learned from prior flights. The Israelis used this feature well during operations against Iran.
The F-35 Is, After All, an Updatable ‘Flying Computer’
This capability, along with the Block 4 upgrades, will be necessary for the United States and future F-35 customers who are sitting on the fence or refusing to buy F-35s. The warplane is meant to serve until the 2040s, and it just keeps getting better.
To be sure, the entire F-35 program has been uber-expensive, and there have been many instances of accidents and mishaps. However, the Block 4 upgrade package is demonstrating to critics that the “flying computer” possesses the stamina and improvements to become one of the best fighter jets available for US allies.
The Block 4 upgrades will make US partners and adversaries take notice when they are finally done in 2031. There have been substantial delays in the Block 4 program, but the Lightning II will be a model for better deterrence and combat capability.
The other good news is that the F-35 can be upgraded even more in the future. If Skunk Works continues to be at the top of its game, those top-notch technicians can continue their valuable work to keep the F-35 great. What is to stop a future Block 5 package of updates?
This is what the United States wanted when it developed the F-35. The ability to readily improve features on the airplane that make it more flyable and interoperable with allies has been a breath of fresh air.
The artificial intelligence and data fusion capabilities will improve as technological innovations advance with time. This makes the US Department of Defense more convinced that it made the right choice to invest heavily in the F-35.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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