Iran has claimed to have downed two F-35I Adir, the customised Israeli fifth-generation stealth aircraft that were involved in precision strikes against Iranian military and nuclear installations on June 13.
If true, this would be the second time that a US-origin stealth aircraft has been downed in combat.
Initial reports about the Israeli strikes under Operation ‘Rising Lion’ noted that the F-35 stealth fighters flew almost 2,000 kilometers, evading Iran’s air defense systems to carry out the precision strikes. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) disclosed that the strike was launched in coordination between the F-35I, the F-16, and the F-15, besides other warplanes.
While Tel Aviv’s closest ally, the United States, distanced itself from the planning and execution of this attack, the cheerleaders of the Jewish country celebrated the success of the strikes as a big tactical victory for the IAF.
According to some reports, the strikes included the use of drones and missiles launched by operatives from deep inside the Iranian territory. Many of these were allegedly used to neutralize Iranian air defenses. Once the air defenses were struck, the IAF fighter jets were able to fly freely over Iranian airspace.
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Satellite images released in the aftermath of the strike revealed significant damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, including Natanz. Additionally, the Islamic Republic of Iran admitted the loss of the top leadership of the Revolutionary Guard.
The IAF’s F-35I Adir, a modified variant of the formidable Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft, was hailed as the hero of the audacious Israeli operation.
Heroism Of The F-35I Adir Hailed
EurAsian Times earlier highlighted the cutting-edge capabilities of the F-35IA Adir, such as a unique combination of stealth, sensor fusion, and precision, that allowed the IAF to target Iranian nuclear facilities.
Experts lauded the advanced avionics and integrated electronic warfare systems of the aircraft that enabled it to penetrate a sophisticated air defense network.
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After the initial hullabaloo was over, Iran struck back with a volley of drones and ballistic missiles at the Israeli capital, Tel Aviv, hitting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Headquarters, as well as the city of Jerusalem. The retaliation was accompanied by Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s, pledge to “bring ruin to the zionist regime.”
While the scale of damage caused to Israel overnight is still emerging, Iran has also claimed to have downed two F-35 fighters..
However, did the IAF fail to consider that even the most formidable stealth aircraft are not completely invisible to radars? Did they underestimate the Iranian air defense systems?
An Iranian Army source told national media that Iran’s air defenses intercepted two Israeli F-35 fighter jets that violated its airspace on June 13, downing both aircraft and apprehending one pilot after she ejected and parachuted into Iran’s territory.
Iran’s state-run Press TV was quick to note: “Iran has earned the distinction of being the first country in the world to successfully shoot down fifth-generation fighter jets by targeting two stealth F-35 fighters belonging to the Zionist regime.”
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The IDF categorically denied the claims. “Fake Iranian media,” said Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman. “This news being spread by Iranian media is completely baseless.”
On June 14, an image of what is claimed to be the wreckage of an F-35I Adir shot down by the Islamic regime was being circulated on social media on June 14.
However, military bloggers have dismissed it as a fake AI-generated image, some saying that the aircraft’s surface proves that it is anything but an F-35A stealth fighter jet.
The bloggers have also questioned the authenticity of a viral video that shows an aircraft, alleged to be an F-35I, being engaged by a surface-to-air missile.
On its part, the Iranian regime has not published any visuals that would confirm the claims so far, such as an image of the captured pilot.
However, if confirmed, this would be the first time an F-35 would have been downed anywhere in the world. It would also vindicate the Iranian Air Defenses that were earlier claimed to be sitting ducks in the face of Israeli strikes on its most strategic targets.
The ‘Adir’ is a variant of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II, custom-built for Israel. The aircraft are modified in these main areas: command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I), electronic warfare, and weapons integration.
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It has sensors, data processing capabilities, countermeasures made in Israel, and cutting-edge electronic warfare systems. The aircraft seamlessly integrates with and shares data with the IAF’s F-15s and F-16s, ensuring the effective execution of precision-guided strikes in contested environments, such as the one carried out against Iran.
Additionally, the aircraft can operate beyond its borders without relying on aerial refueling due to modifications such as external fuel tanks. For instance, in July last year, the Adirs travelled a distance of 1,700 kilometres to bomb Hodeidah, a port controlled by Yemen-based Houthi militia.
A potential loss of F-35I Adir in combat would also come as a big setback for Lockheed Martin and the IAF, especially amid increased scrutiny the stealth jets are undergoing.
Notably, Israel was the first country to use the F-35 in combat in 2018. Last year, when Iran launched Operation True Promise against Israel, it deliberately struck the Nevatim Air Base that houses these war machines to obliterate them before they could take off.
F-35 Had A “Close Shave”
It is pertinent to note that despite the cutting-edge capabilities, the F-35I Adir (like any other F-35 variant) is not invincible.
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For instance, during the US bombing operation against the Houthis undertaken earlier this year, a Houthi missile almost struck an American F-35 Lightning II aircraft, forcing the pilot to take evasive action.
The disclosure was made by a New York Times report published after the bombing operation was called off without achieving any plausible outcome.
The revelation raised a serious question: if the unspecified radars and air defense units of the Houthis can detect an F-35 and possibly even hit it with a surface-to-air missile, then it means that the American stealth fighters are not as invisible as they seem. The aircraft costs nearly US$100 million.
Stealthy aircraft are often perceived as invincible due to their ability to minimize radar signatures and operate effectively in hostile environments. Yet, beneath the veneer of invincibility lies a sobering reality.
No aircraft in the world is completely invisible to advanced radars, and the US got the taste of this when it lost its first-ever stealth aircraft in combat.
The US Has Already Lost A Stealth Fighter
The vulnerability of the first-ever operational American stealth aircraft, the F-117 Nighthawk, was displayed several decades ago, in 1999.
Hailed as revolutionary for being nearly invisible to enemy radars, the Nighthawk faced its real test during the NATO bombing campaign Operation Allied Force, which was initiated in reaction to President Slobodan Milosevic’s ruthless ethnic cleansing effort against the Kosovar Albanian population, and included this mission.
An F-117 Nighthawk, registered as Vega-31 and nicknamed “Something Wicked,” was flying above Serbia about 8 p.m. on March 27, 1999. This mission was led by the seasoned pilot, Lt. Col. Dale Zelko, who served in the Gulf War in 1991.
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On its part, the Yugoslav National Army was equipped with a mix of S-75 and S-125 surface-to-air missile systems, alongside more modern 2K12 Kub mobile surface-to-air missile systems and MiG-29 Fulcrum twin-engine fighters.
These defenses compelled NATO aircraft to fly higher and necessitated the use of radar-jamming aircraft, such as the EA-6B Prowler.
On the fateful day of March 27, 1999, the Nighthawks were at enhanced risk while conducting operations since the Prowlers were grounded due to unfavorable weather conditions. However, they pressed on, their angular design minimizing radar detectability and enhancing their survivability against anti-aircraft threats.
During the mission, the pilot spotted two bright dots ascending rapidly from the clouds below. These were radar-guided missiles that were fired at three-and-a-half times the speed of sound from an S-125M Neva surface-to-air missile system.
Despite the evasive maneuvers, F-117 “Something Wicked” was damaged by one of the Neva missiles that exploded very close to it. The plane went into a scary dive as it lost control and sped toward the ground. Lt. Col. Zelko ejected safely and was rescued by a US Air Force combat search-and-rescue team.
At the time, the F-117’s wreckage was recovered by Yugoslav forces and displayed publicly as a trophy. The incident led to changes in US tactics, including less predictable flight paths and increased use of electronic countermeasures.
However, the idea that stealth technology is invulnerable was dispelled, and the incident severely damaged the reputation of the United States’ “invisible technology” at a time when stealth capabilities were being heralded as revolutionary.
