According to Lockheed Martin’s CEO, Jim Taiclet, they believe they can port many of the advanced technologies developed for the company’s 6th-generation fighter over to the F-35, making something of a 5th-and-a-half generation franken-fighter that they claim can deliver 80% of a 6th gen-jet’s capabilities for 50% of the price. But what exactly might such a fighter look like? Well, fortunately for us, Graham Warwick at Aviation Week recently published an incredible interview with Darold Cummings, the designer of Northrop’s legendary YF-23, breaking down a very logical approach to modifying today’s F-35 for tomorrow’s battlefield, borrowing directly from past Lockheed efforts like the F-16XL and tailless Raptor designs in the X-44 Manta. And the results are, well, promising to say the least.