How Israel’s version of the F-35 has made a difference in its attack on Iran
Starting in the early 2000s, Israel began working towards procuring F-35 jets. That country eventually gained permission to customize the jets into a version called the F-35I “Adir.” Israel made their first order for the jets in 2010, ordering more in 2015 and 2017.
And now, that jet has played a key part in Israel’s ongoing air campaign in Iran- something that seems to have redeemed the F-35’s good name, at a time when some have questioned its continued efficacy.
Business Insider reported that the recent strikes on Iran involved over 200 Israeli jets, some of which were the F-35I. According to BI, the strikes in Iran represent “the most difficult operations the jet has ever flown in.”
The Israeli military, per BI, has not commented specifically on the missions in which the F-35 was involved. However, Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told BI that every indication is that “the F-35I has been a critical and highly successful leading edge capability in the overall Israeli air campaign at every stage.”
Custom Jets
Israel has uniquely customized the jets.
“The Israeli Air Force is the only foreign service which has gained permission to extensively customise the aircraft and integrate indigenous avionics,” Military Watch Magazine said in an analysis published this week.
“This was insisted on by the Israeli Defence Ministry largely due to concerns that the F-35’s stealth capabilities could not be relied on exclusively to ensure the aircraft’s survivability, as improvements in radar, infrared tracking, and data sharing technologies would over the fighter’s lifetime increase adversaries’ ability to target it.”
In 2018, Haaretz reported at the time, Israel launched the first-ever air strike using an F-35 stealth fighter, during that year’s war in Gaza, in which Iran was also involved.
No Tank Support Needed?
Meanwhile, a report from The Aviationist stated that those modifications may have made it possible to strike Iran without tanker support.
The Aviationist had previously reported that Israel had a “desire” to modify the jets for “extended range capabilities through additional fuel tanks,” although it’s not confirmed that Israel has done so successfully. Israel had claimed in 2022 that its F-35 fleet was capable of reaching Iran without refueling, although it’s not clear if that benchmark has been achieved.
F-35 Mocked by Musk
Doubts have been raised about the continuing effectiveness of the F-35 in the age of drone warfare, including by Elon Musk.
According to Newsweek, Musk, back in November, ripped the F-35 as “obsolete” and a “jack of all trades, master of none.” Those comments came at a time, during the presidential transition, when it looked like Musk was going to be a major decision maker in the second Trump Administration, which he was, for what turned out to be a brief time.
Newsweek argues that Israel’s usage of the jets in the Iran campaign has proved Musk wrong.
“During Israel’s ongoing offensive against Iran, F-35I Adir fighters—Israel’s variant of the American-made stealth jet—have executed dozens of long-range strikes against fortified air defense systems, missile sites, and nuclear facilities. Israeli officials say the aircraft flew deep into Iranian territory, encountered little resistance, and returned without a single recorded loss,” Newsweek said.
“Those who suggest that uncrewed systems alone can replace what fighter aircraft do fundamentally do not understand what makes them such a flexible and potentially decisive military tool,” Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Newsweek.
“It’s one thing to simulate uncrewed aircraft doing dogfighting in a clean, test environment,” he said. “It’s another to trust them in the electromagnetic chaos of modern combat, where jamming, deception, and dense airspace demand flexibility.”
About the Author
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
