Lockheed Martin has taken a major step in human-machine teaming, successfully demonstrating control of an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) from the cockpit of an F-22 Raptor during a flight from Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas. The company announced the milestone on November 19, 2025, saying the test shows how single-seat fighters can be used to direct autonomous drones through interfaces integrated into aircraft.
According to Lockheed Martin, the F-22 pilot used an open-architecture system in the cockpit to send tasking commands to the other airborne platform. The company did not identify the specific UAS involved, but said the event marked the first time a fifth-generation fighter has issued mission instructions to an uncrewed aircraft in flight through this method.
OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, said the demonstration represents a significant move toward future air-combat concepts built around human-machine coordination.
“This effort represents Skunk Works driving a breakthrough in air combat capability, where single-seat aircraft command and control drones with simple and intuitive interfaces in the cockpit,” Sanchez said.
During the test, the F-22 pilot used a pilot vehicle interface, or PVI, to direct the UAS to follow a specific mission profile. Lockheed Martin described the PVI as a flexible integration-ready system designed for both current and future platforms. The company said the test showed how pilots could issue commands without adding workload, enabling a blended formation of crewed and uncrewed aircraft to operate together.
Lockheed Martin said the demonstration builds on years of internal research into autonomous and AI-enabled systems for both the F-22 and F-35. The company has developed a family of onboard and offboard technologies intended to allow advanced fighters to work with support drones, sensor nodes, and other distributed assets across multiple mission sets.
The Air Force has said these capabilities will form part of its future “family of systems,” in which crewed aircraft collaborate with multiple autonomous platforms to expand situational awareness and increase survivability. Lockheed Martin said that teaming concepts like the Nellis demonstration are crucial to that vision.
Lockheed Martin said the test shows how a pilot can work alongside autonomous aircraft in real time, using the fighter to direct supporting assets instead of flying alone. The company said this approach could give crews better awareness and more options during missions, especially as unmanned systems take on a larger role.
Lockheed Martin said it is continuing to test and refine these capabilities, with additional demonstrations planned. The company has emphasized rapid development and real-world evaluation as a way to accelerate operational maturity and fielding timelines.
