Israel’s F-35I Adir Is Taking America’s Stealth Fighter To A Whole Other Level – Yahoo News

Key point:Over time, Israel will likely acquire additional F-35s, as it intends for the type to replace its fleet of over 320 F-16s

On May 22, Israeli Air Force commander Amikam Norkin announced that its F-35I stealth fighters had flown on two combat missions on different fronts, showing as proof a photograph of an F-35 overflying Beirut. While details on those missions have not been releasedapparently, they were not deployed in a massive Israeli air attack on Iranian forces in Syria that took place on May 9this nonetheless apparently confirmed the first combat operations undertaken by any variant of the controversial stealth jet, which is currently entering service with the militaries of ten countries after undergoing over two decades of development.

In fact, Israels F-35I Adiror Mighty Oneswill be the only F-35 variant to enter service heavily tailored to a foreign countrys specifications. There had been plans for a Canadian CF-35, with a different refueling probe and drogue-parachute to allow landing on short Arctic air strips, but Ottawa dropped out of the F-35 program.

It has become a common practice to create custom variants of fourth-generation jet fighters such as the Su-30, F-15 and F-16 for export clients, made to order with local avionics, weapons and upgrades that suit a particular air forces doctrine and strategic priorities. Today, Israel operates heavily upgraded F-15I Raam (Thunder) and two-seater F-16I Sufa fighters. Furthermore, Israel in particular hasnt hesitated to modify aircraft it has already received fit its needs: for example, in 1981 it rigged its then-new F-15A Eagle air superiority fighters to drop bombs, and used these first-ever strike Eagles to destroy the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor.

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Israel's F-35I Adir Is Taking America's Stealth Fighter To A Whole Other Level - Yahoo News