Israel, a tiny Jewish state surrounded by hostile Muslim nations who will stop at nothing to ensure its total annihilation, has not only thwarted their designs, but also emerged as arguably the most powerful country in the entire Middle-East due to its military power. One major factor which has transformed Israel into a military juggernaut and a nigh invincible force in the region, is its fleet of US-made F-35 fighter jets, considered to be the backbone of the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
More worry for Muslim nations
Currently, the IAF boasts a fleet of 42 F-35 Adir fighter jets, but in a worrying development for Israel’s hostile Muslim neighbours, the Jewish nation is planning to add another 75 F-35 stealth fighters to its arsenal. According to Kan News — news division of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, the country national broadcaster– Israel has inked a new deal with its staunch ally United States for 75 F-35 stealth fighter jets, which are expected to be delivered by the end of this decade.
With the addition of 75 more of these state-of-the-art fifth-generation combat jets, Israel can engage multiple threats simultaneously. The addition will allow Israel to deploy squadrons simultaneously against threats from multiple fronts such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon without compromising its defensive posture.
How F-35 has made Israel invincible?
The American-made F-35 fighter fighter jet is a fifth-generation combat aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art sensors that integrate data from its radar, electro-optical targeting system and electronic warfare suite into a single, real-time view of the battlefield.
With its massive fleet of 75 of these advanced jets networked together, Israel can launch devastating attacks with unprecedented situational awareness, coordinated strikes, reconnaissance and destruction of enemy air defenses at long range. The addition of more F-35 to the IAF fleet will significantly boost Israel capability to overwhelm and take down enemy air defenses.
Additionally, Israel can also strike any target within the enemy territory, from missile sites to command centers, with guided weapons fired by its F-35 fighter jets.
The F-35 fighter planes are often termed as the backbone of the IAF, and are often deployed to carry out airstrikes on enemy nations across the Middle-East, including nearby Syria, and even Yemen, which is located over a thousand kilometers from Israel.
Israel’s custom upgrades for its F-35s
Even though the base variant of the US-made F-35 is already a formidable war machine, Israel has added further upgrades to its own F-35s, known as the F-35i “Adir”, a customized variant of the F-35A. According to reports, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), has added custom upgrades, specifically focused on extending the jet’s operational range, to prepare the combat jets for potential long-range strikes against Iran through a combination of innovative upgrades and classified technology.
The upgrades focus on extending the F-35’s operation range to the point where it can reach deep within Iranian territory without the need for mid-air refueling. The upgrades reportedly also include the integration of new fuel tanks, allowing the F-35 to cover greater distances while maintaining its stealth profile.
Israel’s F-35 are equipped with bunker buster bombs
As per various reports, the F-35 Adir used by IAF is also equipped with bunker buster bombs, with the IDF conducting successful trials of this ability in southern Israel in 2023.
During the trials, the Israeli F-35 jets were armed with bunker-busting JDAM-84 munitions, and demonstrated the ability to strike hardened targets such as Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Beyond range and weapons, Israel has equipped its F-35s with advanced indigenous systems, including state-of-the-art sensors and electronic warfare capabilities. These upgrades, some of which remain highly classified, enable the jets to disrupt enemy radar and air defenses. The air force also integrated Israeli-made helmets with “see and kill” technology, allowing pilots to guide missiles using head movements, increasing combat accuracy.
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