Lockheed Martin has conducted the first flight of the F-35 Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) on the Cooperative Avionics Test Bed (CATBird) platform.

The EOTS flight on the CATBird is the final step before integration on the BF-4, the first mission systems-equipped F-35 test aircraft.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The CATBird includes an actual F-35 cockpit and test stations to perform real-time analysis as mission systems are evaluated.

It provides the capability to fuse sensor information, which will offer pilots higher quality and shared sensor information compared with legacy platforms’ federated sensor architectures.

During the current Block 1.0 software system test, the EOTS operated in an integrated mode and collected aircraft navigation data for sensor alignment.

The F-35 EOTS will provide high-resolution imagery, automatic target tracking, infrared search and track, laser designation and range finding with laser spot tracking.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


Excellence in Action
Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

Discover the Impact