Israel may have added ‘claw’ to the F-35 stealth fighter

Sheet Jerusalem Post on June 9 said the air force Israel developed new capabilities for the fleet of F-35I fighters, allowing the fighter to reach the airspace Iran without the need for aerial refueling.

“The upgrade move greatly enhances the power of the Israeli air force, in the context that the military is preparing plans to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities in the future,” the article reads.

The flight range of the upgraded F-35I version is not disclosed. The original US model F-35A has a combat radius of about 1,200 km if it does not carry an extra oil tank outside the body.

A new bomb model with a mass of one ton also seems to be integrated into the arsenal of the F-35I fighter squadron. The aircraft can carry this type of bomb in the fuselage to avoid affecting the aircraft’s stealth.

“The bomb, manufactured by Rafael Advanced Weapons Systems, is highly automated and resistant to electronic warfare. It has undergone a series of air tests,” the Jerusalem Post reported.

The Israeli Defense Ministry has not commented on the information.

F-35I Adir is a version developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force based on the F-35A variant of the US Air Force. Unlike other countries ordering F-35, Israel requires to integrate many domestic technologies into this stealth fighter.

Tel Aviv insists it is constantly in a state of military conflict, requiring the F-35 fleet to have many technological and logistical advantages. Israel is currently the only country other than the US that has the right to intervene and modify the systems on the F-35 with the approval of manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Iran does not recognize the state of Israel, always supports armed organizations against it and regularly threatens Israel. On the contrary, Tel Aviv also considers Tehran as an existential threat and the greatest threat to the future of the country, and has repeatedly warned of attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Vu Anh (Follow Jerusalem Post)