F-35 Agnostic Rapid Weapons Integration

Description

This effort is focused on the development of a rapid, modular, and scalable weapons integration architecture, developed on the Open Systems Enclave (OSE) system, that can deploy a broader range of munitions in months (vs years) in order to solve a critical interoperability constraint, increase the capacity of 5th generation platforms; and enable greater agility, lethality, and dominance. This topic primarily addresses the Air National Guard (ANG) & Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) "Lethality" Modernization Imperative, specifically extending long-range kill chains to maintain offensive advantage. This effort will be run through the F-35 program office with PEO Fighters as a long-term owner.This topic seeks modular and scalable weapons integration architecture, developed on the Open Systems Enclave (OSE) system to meet the critical F-35 modernization requirements outlined in the FY26 Air Reserve Component Modernization Book. A fielded solution will enable rapid airframe integration of new munitions, reducing the timeline from three to five years to one to two months (or days in an emergency). The speed of innovation accelerates rapidly when external capabilities are combined with an OSE.The Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Reserve Component (AFRC) F-35 fleet must be able to integrate new weapons or weapons software updates without the need to code, test, and field entirely new aircraft operational flight programs (OFP). Additionally, ANG & AFRC requires hardware solutions to allow a larger capacity of weapons to be carried to generate the maximum effects on each mission. Both external and internal fires infrastructure must be purchased and integrated, permitting carriage of additional options for kinetic and non-kinetic fires. Successful efforts will result in the development and integration of a hardware/software solution that will be demonstrated on the Air National Guard (ANG) F-35 5th generation aircraft in order to meet the urgent requirement for the integration of an Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM).