The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II of the U.S. Air Force are considered by some to be the most advanced stealth fighters in the world today, but how many people know that these two cannot directly establish a bidirectional data link, exposing serious shortcomings in the U.S. military's system combat capabilities. China's rapid development in systematized combat capabilities has made this issue particularly prominent for the U.S. Air Force.
The F-22, the first fifth-generation stealth fighter to enter service globally, is equipped with a collaborative data link, while the F-35 employs a more advanced low intercept/low detection data link. Although the latter was developed based on the former, their technical architectures are not compatible, leading to the inability of the F-22 and F-35 to directly share real-time sensor and mission data. This "communication barrier" greatly limits the U.S. military's situational awareness and coordination efficiency on the battlefield.
In modern warfare, system combat capability is the key to determining victory. In May of this year, during the India-Pakistan air conflict, the Pakistan Air Force integrated early warning aircraft, fighters, and ground command systems through a data link, forming an efficient battlefield information network that successfully suppressed the Indian Air Force, which was technically more advanced.
This case fully demonstrates that combat platforms lacking systematic data sharing, even if their individual performance is strong, will struggle to meet the complex demands of modern warfare.
To address the communication issues between the F-22 and F-35, the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin initiated the "Hydra Program" in 2021. The program used the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft or MQ-9 drones as data relay nodes, successfully achieving bidirectional data sharing between the F-22, F-35, and ground operators. During testing, the open system gateway payload on the U-2 transmitted sensor data from six aircraft in real time to the pilot's helmet display and avionics, significantly enhancing battlefield situational awareness.
Lockheed Martin claims that the "Hydra Program" is a crucial step toward realizing the Pentagon's vision of "Joint All-Domain Command and Control," reducing the time from data to decision-making from minutes to seconds. However, this program is essentially a patch for existing defects in the U.S. military's equipment rather than a genuine technological breakthrough. This raises a question: why doesn't the U.S. equip the F-22 with a more advanced data link? Because the cost is too high, or it is simply not feasible. The F-22 officially entered service in 2005, with its core system design dating back to the 1990s. Its closed architecture makes it difficult to adapt to new data link standards. Upgrading the F-22's data link faces significant challenges. Its hardware architecture is aging, and there is limited space for upgrades. Retrofitting with MADL or a new data link requires redesigning the avionics system, which is costly and time-consuming.
Additionally, the F-22's airframe lifespan and maintenance costs have caused hesitation within the U.S. military about its future role. In 2021, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Brown, proposed a plan to gradually phase out the F-22 by 2030. Although this was adjusted due to slow progress in the "Next Generation Air Dominance" project, the F-22's upgrades have always lacked long-term planning, making the "Hydra Program" more of a temporary fix than a systemic solution.
The Chinese Air Force's system combat capabilities benefit from its centralized and unified R&D system and deep understanding of information warfare. The J-20 not only has advanced stealth performance but also its data link system can seamlessly integrate with early warning aircraft, drones, and other platforms, forming a "cloud combat" network. Furthermore, China's rapid development in electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, and cyber attack and defense has further enhanced its overall system combat effectiveness.
The India-Pakistan air conflict served as a wake-up call for the U.S. military. Through the coordination of the J-10C and early warning aircraft, the Pakistan Air Force achieved an information advantage, successfully suppressing the Indian Air Force's Rafale and Su-30MKI. This indicates that modern air combat is no longer just a contest of single-aircraft performance but a competition of system confrontation. If the U.S. military continues to rely on outdated equipment and temporary fixes, it may struggle to counter the system-based challenges posed by countries like China.
Although the "Hydra Program" has achieved some success in testing, its essence is a short-term solution to "treat the symptoms, not the cause."
A deeper issue lies in the fact that the "Hydra Program" does not fundamentally solve the problem of the F-22's outdated architecture. While the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project is highly anticipated, its development progress is slow and the costs are high, making it unlikely to replace the roles of the F-22 and F-35 in the short term. During this transition period, the U.S. military will have to continue relying on measures like the "Hydra Program" to keep old equipment functioning for a while.
The "Hydra Program" seems to offer a glimmer of hope for the U.S. Air Force's main fighter data link issues, but behind it lies the reality of the U.S. military's backwardness and helplessness in system combat capabilities. In this era, the air combat champion is undoubtedly the Chinese Air Force.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535344896773767721/
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