• Source:JND
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Amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, Iranian state media has asserted that its air defence units have successfully shot down three Israeli F-35I Adir stealth fighter aircraft in the last 48 hours. But the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have denied the allegations, terming them "completely baseless" and part of a "disinformation campaign."

These claims from Tehran come in the wake of Israel’s launch of Operation Rising Lion on June 13, an extensive military air campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites. The operation is said to have involved F-35I Adirs, F-15s, and F-16s, as well as drones and sabotage operatives. Iranian media IRNA and Tasnim News Agency report that Iranian Air Defence units successfully shot down and destroyed the stealth jets as they tried to conduct aerial raids deep within Iranian borders. A statement issued by Iran's Army Public Relations Office, as cited by IRNA, asserted that Iran's air defense systems shot down the advanced jets with the help of "networked radar and missile capabilities," though no systems were specified. Most importantly, Iranian media claimed that a female pilot of one of the shot-down jets was taken alive after ejecting. Iran has still not released any photographs, video, or other verifiable evidence of the wreckage or the captured pilot. The Iranian Embassy in India escalated the story, posting on X (formerly Twitter): "Iran's air defence shot down two Israeli F-35 fighter jets and intercepted several enemy drones."

The Israeli Defence Forces quickly refuted Iran's claims. IDF spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee said, “This news being spread by Iranian media is completely baseless… fabricated entirely to mislead.” Israel stated that all aircraft used in Operation Rising Lion returned safely, and no pilots are missing. "This seems to be part of a larger narrative war, Iran is attempting to reassert power after being dealt a severe strategic hit," a retired Israeli intelligence officer stated to local media."

F-35I Adir: Stealth, But Not Invincible?

The F-35 Lightning II, particularly in its F-35I "Adir" variant operated by Israel, is commonly seen as one of the most advanced fighter aircraft ever developed. As a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter, it's designed to excel at air-to-air combat, precision strikes, and reconnaissance missions, all while being almost invisible to radar detection. Its radar cross-section is only 0.0015 square meters, roughly the diameter of a golf ball, and so it is very difficult to spot. Powered by Pratt & Whitney F135, it achieves speeds of Mach 1.6 and has a range of up to 2,200 kilometers, extended further in Israel’s version with added fuel tanks. One of the jet's key features is its sophisticated sensor fusion, which combines data from several onboard sensors to give the pilot a real-time, 360-degree battlefield picture projected straight into his helmet instead of a conventional heads-up display. The Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) even enables pilots to "look through" the aircraft with external cameras.

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Locally adapted systems differentiate the Israeli F-35I. Israel has developed its command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) framework, as well as advancedelectronic warfare equipment, including systems built by companies such as Elbit Systems. This enables the Adir to integrate with other Israeli platforms and carry homegrown munitions without any issue. Although the typical price of an F-35 is between 80 to 100 million USD, the overall cost over its lifetime maintenance and system upgrades included can be in the billions for a country's inventory. If Iran's claim is verified, this would be the first confirmed shootdown of an F-35 in combat, marking a potentially seismic shift in perceptions of stealth warfare.

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As tensions build in the Middle East, the potential consequences of a successful F-35 shootdown are substantial. Such an incident would tarnish the image of the F-35 program, potentially leading to a revisit of stealth doctrines around the world. The United States, which created the F-35 platform through its Joint Strike Fighter program, is paying close attention to developments as well. The F-35 has already been sold to a number of NATO allies and partner countries, with stealth and survivability being key selling features.