Summary and Key Points: Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter recently confirmed that the IAF has successfully modified its F-35I “Adir” fleet with stealthy, range-extending fuel tanks.
-This breakthrough enables a 2,200km combat radius, allowing the “Mighty One” to conduct round-trip strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities without mid-air refueling.
F-35I Adir Israel Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: IDF
-These modifications—developed in secret and reportedly worth “billions” to Lockheed Martin—were proven during 2025’s high-intensity operations.
-By combining this extended range with a 4-missile “beast mode” wing configuration and indigenous electronic warfare suites, Israel has effectively solved the F-35’s primary limitation while maintaining its vital low-observable edge.
1,000-Mile Strike: How Israel’s F-35I Adir “Mighty One” Now Flies to Iran Without Refueling
Despite all of the great attributes of the F-35 Lightning II 5th-generation stealth fighter jet—the pride and joy of Lockheed Martin’s famed “Skunk Works” division—the warbird has more than its fair share of detractors. Among the criticisms levelled by these detractors are the plane’s initial reliability and teething issues, its exorbitant expense, and its relative lack of range (something that could be especially concerning in the skies over the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean in case of a war between the United States and the People’s Republic of China).
Regarding the teething issues, the Israeli Air Force (IAF; Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, AKA Kheil HaAvir) was the first entity to overcome them and successfully use the warplane in combat. So then, assuming the rumors are true, it’s fitting and apropos that the Israelis have apparently also been the first ones to solve the F-35’s range shortcomings.
Semantic/Alphanumeric Sidebar Note
The F-35I is the Israeli-specific foreign military sales (FMS) rendition of the Lightning II, nicknamed the “Adir (Mighty One)”; in contrast, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps versions are respectively designated the F-35A, F-35C, and F-35B. Unique amongst the myriad of F-35 FMS customers, the IAF worked out an agreement with the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin to deliver a specially modified aircraft variant so that the service could incorporate its own domestic technologies better to support its defense strategy, such as:
-Helmet-mounted displays and data-gathering and processing functions
-A tailored electronic warfare suite featured that enables the IAF to better secure its borders from Iranian-affiliated proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen.
-Ability to integrate a unique blend of Israeli-made weaponry, such as the SPICE family of precision-guided bombs and Delilah cruise missiles
So then, besides the already officially known features of the F-35I, what exactly is the latest & greatest upgrade to the Adir?
The Scoop on the F-35I Adir: Israeli Ingenuity Inbound?
The claims are coming to us from no less than Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States. He made those claims during an interview with the Israel Hayom daily, in turn cited by reporter Emanuel Fabian in a February 16, 2026, article for The Times of Israel titled “Israeli envoy to US claims Israel’s F35I jets now have range-extending fuel tanks.”
F-35I Adir. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
F-35I Adir. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
In Ambassador Leiter’s own words, “We developed fuel tanks that extend the aircraft’s range without compromising stealth, and we added four missiles on the wings… “The number of flight hours our pilots have on the F-35 is greater than that of all the pilots of the other foreign countries that were partners in developing the aircraft. The feedback from our pilots reaches Lockheed Martin. When I visited there a few weeks ago, their CEO [that being Mr. Jim Taiclet] told me that Israel’s information and developments are worth many billions to my company.”
Ambassador Leiter didn’t specify just how far the “Mighty One” can travel with these new fuel tanks. However, flyajetfighter.com states that “These tanks enable a range of over 2,200 km [1,187 nautical miles, 1,367 statute miles] in cruise flight, allowing a round-trip flight to Iran without refueling.” By contrast, the USN F-35B with full tanks has a combat radius of a paltry 600 nautical miles (690 statute miles, 1,111 kilometers), barely over half of the F-35I’s apparent new distance-dialing capabilities.
Ambassador Yechiel Leiter Mini-Bio
According to the Embassy of Israel (in) Washington official website, Dr. Leiter (not to be confused with the fictitious Felix Leiter, James Bond’s CIA buddy in the novels and film alike) officially assumed his role as Israel’s Ambassador to Washington on January 27, 2025 (coincidentally just a few days after Donald Trump was re-inaugurated as President of the United States), replacing Michael (Mike) Herzog, who had served in the position for approximately three years (concurrent with the Biden Administration in the U.S., whose relations with Israel were considerably more strained).
The bio page adds that Leiter is “a public figure with extensive experience in policy-making and strategic consulting” who holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the Catholic University of America (how ecumenical, eh) in Washington, D.C., and a Ph.D. in Political Philosophy from the University of Haifa.
An Israeli Air Force pilot walks to an F-35I Adir prior to a Red Flag-Nellis 23-2 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, March 15, 2023. Red Flag is an opportunity to build on the success of JUNIPER OAK 23-2, JUNIPER FALCON, and additional combined exercises to enhance interoperability with Israel, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and improve capabilities in ways that enhance and promote regional stability and reinforce the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Trevor Bell)
An Israeli Air Force pilot climbs into an F-35I Adir prior to a Red Flag-Nellis 23-2 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, March 16, 2023. Red Flag is an opportunity to build on the success of JUNIPER OAK 23-2, JUNIPER FALCON, and additional combined exercises to enhance interoperability with Israel, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and improve capabilities in ways that enhance and promote regional stability and reinforce the United States’ enduring commitment to Israel’s security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Trevor Bell)
Perhaps most poignantly, “‘ I carry with me the pain of the families who lost their loved ones in the renewed War of Independence that was forced upon us, but I also bring with me the resilience of the people of Israel, determined to win the war against evil: to defeat Hamas, bring our hostages home, and never allow Iran’s proxies to threaten our borders.'”
That “pain” references the fact that his eldest son, Major Moshe Yedidya Leiter, a physician and Israeli Air Force officer, and father of six, fell in battle while leading IDF forces into Gaza on November 10, 2023.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
