Trump’s Twin-Engine Warbird Takes Aim At Lockheed’s Elite F-35

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – As Lockheed Martin looks for ways to ensure the F-35 remain relevant for decades to come, technology from the company’s unsuccessful bid for the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter competition, along with new coatings and other modifications, could go into what has been called a “Ferrari” version of the basic F-35.

This, according to Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet.

The feasibility of this proposal, as well as the huge claim that it could produce a ‘fifth gen-plus’ version of the F-35 jet with 80% of the capability of a sixth-generation design at 50% of the cost, remains in question.

Absent from Taiclet’s comments was the so-called F-55, a purported development of the F-35 that U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned while talking to the press earlier this month. Trump described the F-55 as a twin-engine F-35 and also discussed an “F-22 Super” that would be an upgraded version of the Raptor.

On the F-35, Trump said, “We’re doing an upgrade, a simple upgrade [likely referring to the ‘Ferrari’ F-35], but we’re also doing an F-55. I’m going to call it an F-55, and that’s going to be a substantial upgrade, but it’s going to be also with two engines because the F-35 has a single engine. I don’t like single engines.”

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:    

HOMELAND SECURITY

IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was charged with attempting to transmit classified information to a representative of a foreign government.

The crew of a guided-missile destroyer and an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment seized $13.7 million in cocaine during an interdiction in the Caribbean Sea.

POLITICS

Legal teams are still working out the details of an agreement for Qatar to transfer a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet that Trump hopes to use as an interim Air Force One, a week after DOD said it had taken physical possession of the aircraft.

DOD says the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will now get a chance to assess nearly all unclassified contracts before they’re awarded.

‘Lean and mean’: Defense Secretary Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to strictly limit its use of IT consulting and management contracts, pushing more reliance on in-house resources.

Space Command headquarters in Colorado ‘not sustainable’ without new construction, GAO finds, a major revelation as the Trump administration weighs moving the command to Alabama.

US POWER OVERSEAS

USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) medical support ship will depart Miami to deploy to South, Central America for Continuing Promise 2025.

Early this year, DOD halted development of a new radar meant to protect Guam from high-end air and missile threats.

Horrible Guam barracks conditions are ‘baffling,’ Navy admiral says.

State Department is moving forward with a plan to eliminate or consolidate more than 300 of its offices and bureaus, leading to a reduction of more than 3,400 employees and 45% of its structural entities.

Army is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of a Black Hawk pilot found dead in Honduras earlier this month.

CHINA THREAT

Hidden components in Chinese-made solar power equipment have caused alarm bells in Western capitals amid concerns over Beijing’s ability to interfere with power grids. Europe may be particularly vulnerable, with most of its solar farms potentially at risk of remote shutdown.

NATO has issued a strong statement supporting the Czech Republic, following a damaging cyber campaign by Chinese state-sponsored actors.

AFRICOM chief warns that, as the U.S. prepares African nations to rely less on Washington’s help, China is attempting to “replicate every type of thing” the U.S. military does to build and maintain relationships on the continent.

Taiwan to hold major drone boat test exercise as it falls behind communist China in fielding this critical capability.

China will not send its defense minister to this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue, shunning a chance for a high-level meeting with U.S. and Asian counterparts as tensions simmer with Washington and its allies.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Does Trump know that Putin is using him as his puppet? Russia launched its largest missile and drone attack of the three-year-old war, despite Trump’s promise to end the war in a day.

EU has unveiled a sweeping security strategy for the strategically vital Black Sea aimed at countering Russian threats.

Nordic nations embrace total defense as the risk of sabotage and war rises.

U.S. and its NATO allies in Europe would overwhelm and dominate the airspace in a potential conflict with Russia and enjoy a decisive battlefield advantage, new report says.

IRAN THREAT/MIDEAST

Trump said he envisions a nuclear deal with Iran that would allow the destruction of “whatever we want” in the country including labs — an inspections regime that is likely to be rejected by Tehran.

Israel approves biggest expansion of West Bank settlements in decades.

Israel says its military has used prototype ‘high-power lasers’ air defenses to shoot down ‘scores’ of threats during the course of its current multi-front war.

U.S. distances itself from Gaza food delivery group after being trumpeted by U.S. officials, with questions growing over its leadership, sources of funding and ties to Israeli officials and private U.S. security contractors.

Israel has accepted the new proposal for a ceasefire with Hamas from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

Long-shuttered U.S. ambassador’s residence in Damascus is reopened as Washington mends ties with Syria.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

UK has conducted its most extensive artificial intelligence (AI) defense trial to date, involving land, sea, and air platforms in a large-scale, multi-domain effort to sharpen battlefield decision-making and operational effectiveness.

US MILITARY

Army is on the cusp of hitting its annual recruiting target months ahead of schedule, prompting DOD planners to consider a rare move: increasing the active-duty force without Congress.

Army is too light to win. Today’s Army, far lighter than the one that took such damage in so-called “low-intensity combat,” in Iraq and Afghanistan is ill-equipped to deter or contend with the likes of China or Russia.

Air Force Reserve is on track to lose nearly half of its fighter jets by the end of the decade; a course its top general warns could sideline the force in conflicts and deepen the military’s pilot crisis.

First A-10 Thunderbolt II has left the Idaho Air National Guard amid Middle East deployment as part of the Air Force’s service-wide effort to divest its close air support aircraft.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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