According to a press release from the company, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and the Danish Ministry of Defence have completed a live F-35 interoperability demonstration, highlighting the aircraft’s role in enabling rapid, multi-domain coordination among allied forces.

The demonstration involved Danish F-35s operating out of Fort Worth, Texas, transmitting classified data through DAGGR-2, an Open Systems Gateway developed by Skunk Works in partnership with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. The data was relayed via commercial satellite communications and received at Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark.

“This marked a significant milestone toward enhancing Denmark’s capabilities, as it enabled our MDO staff to witness in real-time the potential of the F-35’s ability to collect, analyse and share advanced data across geographically dispersed networks,” said Danish Air Chief, Maj. Gen. Jan Dam. “Our close collaboration with Skunk Works has been instrumental in accelerating the rapid deployment of such capabilities, and we’re very pleased with the results.”

OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, emphasized the speed and flexibility of the demonstration effort. “This collaboration with the Danish MOD enabled us to do what we do best at Skunk Works – rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities at a pace unparalleled in the industry and prove it through real-world flights,” he said. “This demonstration builds on our successful track record of collaboration with international partners and defines what truly sets us apart: our commitment to Open Systems Architecture, which enables seamless integration across any platform, sensor, or shooter – regardless of the manufacturer.”

Lockheed Martin stated that the demonstration underscores its continued commitment to providing open architecture solutions to strengthen integration and coordination across allied defense networks.

Lockheed Martin and Cobb County

The Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta has been a major employer in Cobb County since 1951, when the Lockheed Corporation, a predecessor of Lockheed Martin, took over the former site of the WWII Bell Bomber plant.

The C-130 program is the largest program operating at the Marietta facility. The plant currently produces the C-130J Super Hercules (see the company’s Fast Facts on the C-130J or the company’s C-30J brochure for more information).

The Marietta plant also provides ongoing support for the C-5 Galaxy, which celebrated its 50^th year in operation in 2018. The C-5 Galaxy is expected to remain in service until 2045.

The Marietta location also supports the P-3 Orion, and manufactures the center wings for the F-35.