F-35 Is The Most Thoroughly Tested Cyber Weapon
The cutting-edge F-35 stealth fighter jet is probably one of the most cyber tested weapons systems that exists in the US department of defence inventory, it's maker says.
With almost nine million lines of software code contained within it, the warplane has previously been described by Britain's Lightning Force as essentially a flying computer.
The multimillion-pound supersonic F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is considered to be one of the most sophisticated aircraft ever developed. The UK is embarked on a £9.1 billion program to buy 48 by 2025 of the F-35, but has pledged to purchase 138.
Steve Over, the director of F-35 international business development at Lockheed Martin, the company which manufactures the jet, said it is probably one of the "most cyber tested weapons systems that exists in US Department of Defence inventory".
He told the Press Association: "To our knowledge we have passed every cyber test that has been applied against the F-35, but it is not an area where any of us, the US, Lockheed or our customers can afford to be complacent.
"This is an area where you have to remain vigilant, and we have to remain committed to continuing the evolution of all the IT systems on the airplane so that we stay ahead of the cyber threat that is very real and very existential."
Asked whether a cyber-attack could be conducted or carried out from an F-35 jet, he stopped short of providing an answer. "I know of nothing there we can talk about," Mr Over said.
Britain currently has 15 of the F-35B, the short take off and vertical landing variant, based in the US where they are being used for testing and training.
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