ABNA24 - The war the American-Israeli alliance has waged against Iran is regarded by observers as the most technological conflict of history, unmatched for simultaneous use of state-of-the-art weapons and military equipment and also moving past classic wars.
The alliance of two claimants of the world’s top military technologies and being major arms exporters against Iran carries a wealth of elements, experiences, and valuable intelligence that compels a wide array of observers and analysts within geopolitical and military circles, especially among rival nations of the US, to meticulously monitor, analyze, and scrutinize this conflict in detail.
Among the most significant developments for these observers thus far in the conflict is the announcement that Iran’s defense system has successfully targeted the advanced F-35 fighter jet early on Thursday morning. This was confirmed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a formal statement released late Thursday, accompanied by clear images showing the moment the F-35 was hit; the footage revealing that the air defense system had locked onto the stealth aircraft and was actively tracking its flight path. In the images, the much-vaunted American jet is seen being struck by a missile from below, unable to react or evade the attack.
Following this announcement, CENTCOM issued a statement confirming the targeted F-35 without specifying its location, but indicated that the pilot was safe and the jet made a successful landing at one of their regional bases. However, it is clear from the radar footage that the jet suffered significant damage, and the IRGC statement suggests a high likelihood of its crash.
Crown of the US technology: How is F-35 significant?
Striking an F-35 should not be seen as an insignificant and passing issue in war as this fighter jets stands on the edge of the world military technology and is seen as the crown of the American technology, costing the US since the beginning of its project over the past two decades around $2 trillion. With super advanced radar and combat wares for air superiority, this jet is made for reconnaissance and striking strategic targets like radar systems to pave the way for dominance of the airspace of enemy.
To ensue its technological confidentiality, the fighter has so far been sold to a small number of the US allies and in West Asia, Israeli regime is its only operator.
This fifth-gen aircraft was designed to maintain the US air superiority in the future wars and its technology is used in high-tech aircraft operated by the US military like Global Hawk drones.
What weapon did strike the F-35?
Certainly, the foremost question arising from this incident revolves around the weapon that enabled Iran to detect, track, and ultimately strike the stealth F-35 fighter jet. Designed to evade radar detection from defense systems and enemy aircraft, the downing of this jet has shifted all eyes to the technology capable of breaking the myth of its stealth capabilities.
This issue is particularly significant for Washington’s global rivals, namely Russia and China. Iran has been a producer of radar and defense equipment, designing, manufacturing, and operationalizing various systems over the years, including the 15 Khordad system, which previously shot down a Global Hawk drone over the Persian Gulf. In both the 12-day war and the current Ramadan War, Iran’s Integrated Air Defense Headquarters had successfully intercepted a diverse array of drones and aircraft from the US and Israel, including three F-15s, one refueling aircraft, and over 100 drones of various types, including Israeli Hermes 900 and 450 and Heron drones, as well as MQ-9s, and now the F-35.
This command center has yet to provide specifics due to confidentiality and to prevent adversaries from gaining tactical insights into the systems used to strike the F-35. However, it is a matter that will likely receive more attention and investigation in the future.
What are the implications?
Discovering and striking this stealth jet is not a small issue and due to its consequences to the US technology, it cannot be simply disregard.
Initially, it is anticipated that the downing of the F-35 will have immediate effects on the course of the war and seriously challenge the air superiority of the American-Israeli coalition. The destruction of an F-35 signals that Iranian skies are not at all safe for enemy aircraft, and aggressors are likely to act more cautiously in their future bombing operations. This caution arises from the fact that a significant portion of enemy operations relies on non-stealth jets like the F/A-18 Hornet, F-15 Eagle, and F-16, which are inherently easier to target. Furthermore, the preliminary steps for air operations by these aircraft involve identifying targets, neutralizing defenses, and clearing a path into Iranian airspace using an F-35. Thus, the F-35 serves as the enemy’s eyes in conducting bombing operations, and with its capabilities diminished, the volume of airstrikes is expected to decrease.
Another consequence of the F-35 being targeted is the severe blow to the credibility of American claims regarding this fighter jet and, more broadly, the American military technology. The extensive marketing surrounding the stealth capabilities of the F-35 has led many nations to express interest in acquiring the aircraft. Naturally, following the downing of one by Iranian defenses, and likely more in the coming weeks and months, potential buyers may reconsider their decisions regarding investing in this highly expensive weapon system.
This emerging weakness can also lead to crash of shares of Lockheed Martin company, the maker of this jet. And having in mind that the revenues from weapons sales make up a significant portion of the US GDP and majorly drive the US economic growth, it is expected to inflict a substantial economic damage on the Trump’s administration.
/129
Your Comment