TEL AVIV / WASHINGTON — Reports indicate coordinated aerial training and operational activities by Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35I “Adir” stealth fighters and U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-35A Lightning II detachments in close proximity to western Iranian airspace.
According to preliminary operational intelligence, Israeli F-35I aircraft navigated eastward through designated corridors over Iraqi airspace, supported by mid-air refueling assets (Boeing KC-707 / KC-46 Pegasus tankers), to reach the western operational sector of Iran. Simultaneously, USAF F-35A aircraft operating out of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (Al-Azraq, Jordan) executed long-range training routes along the Iraqi-Iranian border before returning to base. The targeted zone in western Iran hosts a critical concentration of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF) underground ballistic missile complexes and long-range launch sites.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: F-35 LIGHTNING II & LONG-RANGE ENGAGEMENT ARCHITECTURE
* Aircraft Designation: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (IAF Variant: F-35I “Adir” / USAF Variant: F-35A)
* Primary Operational Roles: Suppression / Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD), Deep-Penetration Strike, Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)
* Performance & Range Dynamics:
* Maximum Speed: Mach 1.6 (~1,975 km/h)
* Combat Radius (Internal Fuel): ~1,240 km (670 nautical miles)
* Ferry Range: >2,200 km (Requires aerial refueling for extended loiter over deep-penetration targets)
* Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
* Stealth & Avionics Suite:
* Radar Cross Section (RCS): Very Low Observable (VLO) micro-geometry and radar-absorbent material (RAM) coating
* Radar Architecture: AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
* Targeting & Sensor Fusion: AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) & AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS)
* Electronic Warfare: AN/ASQ-239 “Barracuda” EW / Signal Intelligence suite
* Operational Staging & Logistics:
* Transit Corridors: IAF staging from Israeli bases, executing mid-air refueling over Iraqi airspace
* Regional Forward Operating Base: Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (Al-Azraq, Jordan) hosting USAF F-35A strike detachments
* Target Profile Focus: Hardened IRGC ballistic missile infrastructure, early-warning radar nodes, and air defence positions in western Iran
