@Hempy: ".... [All] well and good, but all AESA equiped gen 4/4.5 aircraft have the same capability, no?"
Yes, although not with MADL - which interestingly enough, is a short-ish range datalink technology. This was more of a test of MADL-hosted waveforms working with the latest Aegis software version. Their *might* be times when a Marine F-35Bs embarked as part of an ARG/MEU could use MADL or Link-16 to provide targeting for the group's Aegis AD destroyer. CVGs would most likely link their F-35s (as well as Growlers and Super Hornets) to forward E-2Ds (or future RAQ-25s) which further exploits SM-6's beyond the Aegis radar horizon capability.