Lockheed Martin has successfully demonstrated the use of a dedicated data link between Legion infrared search-and-track (IRST) pods installed on F-16 fighter aircraft.
The flight tests took place at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, in collaboration with the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Test Center.
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As part of the demonstration, two F-16s were equipped with Legion pods featuring a pre-production version of HiveLink, a data link developed by L3Harris.
The pods were able to exchange sensor data near-instantaneously during flight, allowing the aircraft to share information on multiple airborne targets with greater speed and accuracy.
Lockheed Martin stated this development enabled near-instantaneous engagement solutions against multiple threats, a benefit intended to enhance operational effectiveness in radar-denied or contested environments.
The Legion system, formerly known as IRST21, is a passive sensor that detects infrared signals from aircraft, allowing aircrews to track targets without exposing their own position.
By networking Legion pods through HiveLink, pilots gain “depth perception” and can better prioritise tactical contacts, reducing both pilot workload and engagement timelines.
The company noted that the open systems architecture of Legion supports the integration of additional capabilities and efficient data fusion with other onboard sensors.
Lockheed Martin Legion programme director Cristin Stengel said: “With Legion’s pod-to-pod data link and open architecture, we’re providing aircrews faster, more accurate targeting in the most contested airspaces.”
HiveLink, the connectivity solution supplied by L3Harris, is engineered to provide resilient line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight mesh networking.
According to Lockheed Martin, this ensures continued data sharing even if adversaries attempt electronic disruption, and it accommodates platforms with strict size, weight, and power constraints.
The company stated that the flight campaign, conducted under contract with the Air National Guard, is aimed at validating Legion’s performance, transportability, and interoperability on F-16s.
Legion pods are already fielded for the US Air Force on F-15 and F-16 aircraft in operational use, with an architecture supporting compatibility across manned and unmanned platforms.
According to Lockheed Martin, the system draws on accumulated experience from IRST platforms with over 300,000 flight hours.
The company is planning for additional developments, such as the integration of software-defined radios, support for multiple waveforms, and future manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.
