Force Multiplier: Israeli F-16I Weapons Systems Officer Details F-35’s Key Role in Attack on Iran

An Israeli Air Force officer speaking under the pseudonym Lieutenant Colonel I. has provided new insight into the role of the service’s F-35I fifth generation fighters during the country’s recent air assault on Iran. Launched from June 13-24, the attack saw the Israeli Air Force deploy over 300 fighters and large fleets of drones and support aircraft to attack strategic targets across the country, in parallel to attacks by paramilitary forces on the ground. Having operated an F-16I twin seat fighter as a weapons systems officer in its second seat during the campaign, Lt. Col. I. recalled regarding his operations:

“Most of the F-35 missions were intelligence and gave us a lot of information that other planes like the F-16I don’t have. They have a lot of equipment that helps them determine which missiles are heading towards us. And they actually can say to the F-16I, be aware you’re going to meet this kind of missile or another kind. And after we get this information, we do our attack mission that is more precise and more specific. So what we do in our formation is let the F-35 go first, see what’s going on, gather the intelligence and information and give it to us and to the other planes, and then we take this information and attack.”

The primary challenge to Israeli air power during attacks on Iran was the deployment of a considerable network ofmodern ground-based air defence systems, with the F-35’s electronic intelligence capabilities being particularly well suited to providing information on threats from such systems. Even a small number of F-35s can significantly increase the situational awareness of larger formations of fourth generation fighters such as F-16s, providing a considerably greater ability to operate against adversaries defended by significant ground-based air defence networks. Iranian sources claimed that four F-35s were shot down during the two countries’ 11 days of hostilities, although considering how deeply the aircraft were operating inside Iran, and the length of the conflict, this would be a relatively low attrition rate if true. The F-35’s ability to operate deep into well defended targets is a result of its combination of advanced electronic intelligence, electronic warfare and stealth capabilities, allowing it to serve as an important force multiplier to larger fleets of fourth generation fighters.

Israel notably has not modernised its fourth generation fighters to a modern ‘4+ generation’ standard, which makes the F-35’s position in the fleet particularly important. Israeli F-35s differ from those of other export clients primarily due to the significant integration of indigenous avionics, which are added on top of the unmodified avionics of the aircraft. This modification process was summarised by General Manager of the Lahav Division at Israel Aerospace Industries, Benni Cohen, who stated: “It’s open architecture, which sits on the F-35’s central system, much like an application on your iPhone. So it doesn’t change anything in the aircraft itself, but it gives the Israel Air Force the most advanced and adaptable processing capabilities with relative independence of the aircraft manufacturer.” This “introduces a new level of freedom for the IAF [Israeli Air Force], as it paves the way for additional advanced capabilities to be embedded in the F-35I in the future,” he concluded. The Israeli defence ministry has ordered 75 of the aircraft. With Iranian air defences having proven to be far from sufficient, a number of unconfirmed reports indicate that the country has responded by requesting emergency deliveries of new systems from China.