Key Points: Israel’s F-35I Adir, a specially modified Joint Strike Fighter, plays a pivotal role in the Israeli Air Force’s efforts to secure the nation against regional threats.
-Customized with advanced domestic technologies, including unique electronic warfare systems, the F-35I is unmatched in ensuring air superiority.
-Recently, the IAF deployed the F-35I Adir to strike key military targets in Syria, aiming to preempt threats from hostile groups like HTS and Iranian proxies.
-With its advanced capabilities and precision, the Adir has become the backbone of Israel’s defense strategy, showcasing its unparalleled ability to neutralize threats and maintain regional stability.
F-35I Adir: Israel’s Secret Weapon in Syria and Beyond
The Israeli Air Force once again made headlines this month when the Jewish state struck dozens of critical military assets in Syria.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime, arsenals of weapons became vulnerable to being reclaimed by various rebel groups. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the leading designated terrorist organization expected to assume governing power in Syria, is particularly worrisome for Israel, considering its Islamist ties.
Hostile adversaries have surrounded the Jewish state since its founding and are still actively fighting a war against Hamas following its October 7, 2023, massacre.
While Israel has nearly completely decimated several of Iran’s proxy groups in the region- including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, it fully recognizes what a newly armed de-facto terror group could do if given the opportunity.
To avoid a potential future October 7 from its northern border, the IAF struck hundreds of military targets in Syria. Leading these strikes is undoubtedly the F-35I Adir, Israel’s specialized Joint Strike Fighter that is widely considered to be the best of its kind to fly the skies.
F-35I Adir. Image: Creative Commons.
Here Comes the F-35I Adir
The IAF’s aerial superiority over its neighbors can largely be attributed to its F-35I Adir fighter fleet.
The Jewish state first acquired its specially modified fighter in 2010, notably becoming the first nation outside the airframe’s nine-nation co-development group to purchase the platform.
Lockheed Martin agreed to provide a modified aircraft version so that the IAF could incorporate its own domestic technologies.
Homegrown countermeasures and sensors are incorporated into the F-35I Adir, helmet-mounted displays and other data-gathering and processing functions.
The tailored electronic warfare system featured on the Israeli fighter enables the IAF to better secure its borders from Iranian affiliated proxies in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen.
Each of these fighters is armed with air-to-air weapons including the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120D.
Since the F-35I Adir platform is arguably the most significant component of Israel’s aerial fleet, it poses the most crucial threat to the Iranian regime.\
F-35I Adir Goes to War for Israel
The IAF has recently deployed its F-35I Adir squadrons to strike military assets across the region.
Notably, the Adir took a leading role in Israel’s retaliatory strikes waged against the Islamic Republic this October.
As described by the United Kingdom’s chief of defense staff, “Israel used more than 100 aircraft, carrying fewer than 100 munitions, and with no aircraft getting within 100 miles of the target in the first wave, and that took down nearly the entirety of Iran’s air-defense system.”
Israeli Air Force F-35I. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The fall of the Assad regime in Syria gave Israel another reason to deploy its top-of-the-line fighters. Heavy Israeli airstrikes were reported in Syria’s Tartous region on December 10, 2024, allegedly targeting key military sites and other assets.
Some of the targets the IAF has struck in recent days include chemical weapons sites, missiles, air defenses, and air force/navy targets.
When HTS or a like-minded group comes to power in Syria, Israel will at least avoid an immediate bloody confrontation due to these targeted strikes.
The F-35I Adir and the IAF’s other leading aircraft continue to ensure the survival of the Jewish state.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
