Key Points and Summary: Israel’s advanced F-35I Adir stealth fighter has dominated Middle Eastern skies, excelling in combat against Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian targets, and Houthi militants in Yemen. A 2017 rumor alleging an Israeli F-35I was struck by an outdated Syrian S-200 missile was swiftly disproven by Israel, who cited retaliation against Syrian missile sites instead.
Key Point #1 – Given the F-35I’s advanced stealth, electronic warfare capabilities, and jamming systems, the old Soviet-era S-200 would have posed no credible threat.
Key Point #2 – The Adir has since enhanced Israel’s aerial superiority, notably in significant strikes against Iranian military targets, cementing its role as a pivotal asset for the Israeli Air Force.
Why Syria’s Aging S-200 Missile Stood No Chance Against Israel’s F-35I Adir
The F-35I Adir stealth fighter from Israel has already enjoyed a stirling combat record in the Middle East. Whether it is attacking Hamas or Hezbollah, flying unabated to destroy targets in Iran, or engaging the Houthi terrorists in Yemen, the F-35I has been exceptional. The Adir has also attacked positions in Syria over the years and these missions have also been successful.
That’s why, in 2017, the Israelis were indignant. There were reports that in a mission over Syria to engage militants in that country, a surface-to-air missile may have hit an F-35I. This strike was allegedly conducted by a Syrian military S-200 air defender made in the Soviet Union.
The Israel Defense Forces quickly alerted the public that this did not take place. The IDF reported that Syrian surface-to-air missile sites were instead destroyed in retaliation by Israeli fighter jets over Damascus.
There Is No Way This Happened
The rumor that an advanced F-35I Adir would have been struck by an S-200 SAM was easily dismissed.
The F-35I has undergone many improvements, although not all modifications were complete in 2017.
Current F-35Is have better electronic warfare capabilities and the F-35I would have easily jammed and spoofed the ancient S-200 with those improvements. The F-35I also has updated weapons-integration. Ground controllers can communicate with the F-35I in an advantageous manner.
The S-200 SAM Is No Match for the F-35I Adir
The S-200 goes back to the 1960s when SAM technology was not nearly as advanced as it is today. Syria received it from the Soviet Union and at the time the S-200 could do the job. But it would be no match for the F-35I with its electronic warfare capabilities and stealth attributes. The S-200 radars and command and control would have been blinded.
One reason the reports on social media may have been exacerbated by users was that before the phony incident happened, an F-35 was hit by a bird two weeks earlier and it had to land quickly due to minor damage. That incident probably got tongues wagging. Israel explained the bird strike incident with more details.
“During a training sortie two hits were found on the plane, following a collision with a bird. After an evaluation and assessment of the damage conducted together with the manufacturer – Lockheed Martin, the plane was sent for normal maintenance and repair. It will return to full service in the next few days.”
It Would Have Been Embarrassing if the Rumor Was True
To be sure, if the S-200 would have actually struck an F-35I, the Israelis would not have admitted it publicly. The information warfare is so important on social media, and no-one wants to give the opposing force grist for the public relations mill. The S-200 strike against such a modern fighter would have been an embarrassment for the Israelis and the Americans who produce and supply it to the Jewish state.
Israel received its initial F-35 in 2016. Lockheed Martin initially refused to allow the Israelis to modify it, but they persisted, and the Americans finally relented. Then the Israelis worked to make it better in the ensuing years. Engineers and technicians listened to the pilots who wanted better jamming pods.
The ground crews were able to “turn over” the F-35Is faster meaning that after every mission they could ready the stealth warbirds for another missions. Field mission data files were inserted into the software architecture quickly to give pilots the information needed to make a new sortie happen quickly and efficiently.
Israel also equipped the F-35I with its own guided bombs and Israeli-designed cruise missiles. The F-35 base model could always launch Sidewinder and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. When finally finished with the modifications, Israel had a powerful and sneaky warbird on its hands.
Outstanding Combat Experience for F-35I Adir
This allowed for great combat performance after the tragic October 7 terror attacks by Hamas against Israeli citizens in 2023. Israel quickly ordered ground strike retaliations against Hamas in Gaza. The F-35I also answered the call against the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen. The stealth Adir made some of the longest missions since 1985 with aerial re-fueling.
Successful Strikes Against Iran
Then came the massive 100 aircraft attack against Iran last fall. The F-35I was instrumental in avoiding Iranian radar and destroying enemy weapons-production plants and other military targets. If the Israelis needed to attack again, say to eliminate Iranian nuclear-weapon infrastructure, they could do it.
The attack set back Iranian air defense capabilities for at least a year.
F-35I Adir from Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The F-35I was not as advanced in 2017, but it is highly unlikely it got hit by an S-200 air defender. The old SAM would have been outclassed with ease.
The Adir is now a symbol of IDF military might. Israel has 35 of the stealth fighters and just ordered 25 more last summer. It will take more than an ancient Soviet-made interceptor to take out an Israeli “Mighty One.”
F-35I Adir from Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
