‘Could Be Ugly’: Israel’s F-35I Adir Was Built for an Iran War

Key Points – The Israeli Air Force’s F-35I “Adir” has been a critical asset in the ongoing “Operation Rising Lion” strikes against Iran, leveraging unique modifications to achieve air dominance.

-Israel is the only country permitted by the US to extensively customize the F-35, integrating its own electronic warfare systems, avionics, and weapons.

-This allows for superior battlefield performance and survivability.

-The Adir’s ability to penetrate and neutralize Iran’s Russian-made S-300 air defenses, a process started in earlier strikes in 2024, has paved the way for the recent, devastating attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure by the broader Israeli Air Force.

Israel’s F-35s are Optimized for Operations with Israeli Weaponry

No other country in the world has been given the go-ahead from the United States to modify their aircraft — a fact that makes the Israeli Air Force’s F-35Is particularly potent aircraft.

The Israeli Air Force has put their specialized F-35 variant, the F-35I “Adir,” to use in their ongoing series of strikes against Iran, leveraging that jet’s stealth characteristics to carve out free-fly corridors throughout the country as well as over Tehran, the Iranian capital.

Video evidence gleaned from social media, as well as images captured by satellite, indicate the success that fighters have achieved in decimating Iranian air defenses, bases, and other high-value targets throughout the country. Additionally, much of Iran’s top military leadership, as well as crucial nuclear research scientists, have been eliminated.

Look Out Below

The visual evidence of Israeli strikes on targets in Iran is extensive. However, visually-documented evidence does not paint a complete picture, as not all strikes are caught on video or camera. Still, it is clear that the strikes have been extremely devastating to Iran, with perhaps dozens of key figures in Iran’s nuclear program targeted, as well as top military leadership.

These strikes were directly facilitated by Israeli Air Force F-35Is, without which Israel would likely have had to contend with potentially steep aircraft losses.

Part of the Israeli success in the current strikes in Iran was made possible by previous rounds of strikes against target sets in Syria, Iran, and Iraq both late last year and this year. Perhaps the most significant of these was the October 2024 Operation Days of Repentance.

Excluding the current strikes in Iran, around 1,100 and counting, the operation was the most significant Israeli strikes in Iran since the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

During those strikes last year, IAF F-35Is struck targets across Iran, including missile fuel production sites, UAV production centers, and, perhaps most significantly, four of Iran’s Russian-supplied S-300 air defense batteries.

F-35I: Israeli Adjustments, Modifications, and Optimizations

Although the Israeli Air Force’s fleet is less than 40-strong, it is highly specialized. And unlike the other F-35 variants worldwide, the F-35I’s wings are built in Israel, a significant concession to the Israeli program. The rationale behind the decision to allow Israel to develop their own F-35 wings domestically in Israel is to facilitate better interoperability with Israel’s electronic warfare equipment, as well as better synergy with domestic Israeli weapon systems like air-to-air missiles and ground strike weapons.

Although the Israeli F-35I fleet is not enormous, it is set to increase in the near term due to a 25-fighter order that Israel managed to place and finalize several years ago.

The Electronics

BAE Systems describes the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare countermeasure system, which F-35s are equipped with, as “a next-generation electronic warfare suite providing offensive and defensive options for the pilot and aircraft to counter current and emerging threats. Its advanced technology optimizes situational awareness while helping to identify, monitor, analyze, and respond to threats.”

“Advanced avionics and sensors provide a real-time, 360º view of the battlespace, maximizing detection ranges and giving pilots evasion, engagement, countermeasure, and jamming options.”

F-35I Adir Stealth Makes History

Although the United States, as well as China, are in the midst of putting cutting-edge sixth-generation aircraft into service and the air, Israeli’s ongoing strikes in Iran are proof-positive that fifth-generation aircraft remain potent platforms, particularly in operations against older fourth-generation aircraft, which in Israel’s immediate neighborhood are ubiquitous.

Stealth capabilities are no panacea, and the steady proliferation of increasingly sophisticated air defenses could pose a significant challenge in the future. But until then,  F-35Is are without rival in Israel’s immediate neighborhood.

About the Author: Caleb Larson

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.

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