Until now, attack aircraft were operated independently of air support aircraft. We have never had such an operational capability until today. The F-35 can do all this by itself in real time, with only one pilot sitting in the cockpit. The earlier, fourth-generation jets are excellent at maneuvering and activating sophisticated weapons systems, but they are not able to collect intelligence and independently analyze battle movement. But in addition, it integrates high-level operational capabilities as well as the ability to read and analyze a battle map. As we all know, the F-35 can reach places in a way that others can’t. “It’s all concentrated on one table for us. “This jet brings us everything we’ve dreamed of doing, in one package,” said another senior air force source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. With all that is on the table, Israel is happy. The IAF has not even begun the process of installing and integrating the numerous Israeli weapons systems destined to become an integral part of the jet. The IAF reckons that it will take a few years to “completely” understand the stealth jet's capabilities. Still, it is important to emphasize that integrating such an airplane into an air force takes quite a long time. Despite a rather vague statement by the outgoing air force chief that not all the characteristics of the new stealth plane match the manufacturer’s catalog, enthusiasm in Israel over the F-35 is not letting up, and perhaps even the opposite.įrom the Israeli perspective, the F-35 jets constitute a jump of an entire technological generation - from fourth generation to fifth generation - in fighter jet technology and capabilities. More than half a year after the first pair of stealth jets landed at Nevatim, in the Negev, the IAF is beginning to understand what it has acquired. Only then do you grasp the tremendous potential this machine has. The threats, the various players, are in short range as well as in long range. Here they suddenly see the Middle East as a fighting zone. The American pilots that come to us didn’t experience that because they fly there, in Arizona, in Florida. When you ascend to around 5,000 feet, the entire Middle East is yours at the cockpit. But when you take off in this jet from Nevatim, you can’t believe it. This happens with every plane that we add. “There are some things you only learn on your feet. In a farewell interview with Haaretz, Eshel addressed the issue of problems with the stealth. Everyone is keeping an eye on the operational experience that the stealth jets are starting to accumulate in the Middle East. The IAF is the first force outside the United States to put F-35 jets into service. Eshel flew the jet many times and fell in love with it. He also led the process for acquiring the F-35s. Eshel was one of the most esteemed IAF commanders in recent decades. Amir Eshel had resigned as IAF commander, after five years in that position. But the manufacturer wanted to be sure that the model A's don’t have the same problem, so he asked our approval to delay the arrival to next week. “The manufacturer found a trivial mishap in the fuel pipe of model B planes, while our planes are model A. “Everything is fine, and there is no malfunctioning that is relevant to us,” a high-level IAF source told Al-Monitor, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has hurried to smooth any ruffled feathers. In addition, rumor has it that its real-life operation capabilities are disappointing compared to the manufacturer's promises. 30 that the Americans were delaying the planes’ delivery due to “more tests.” This news set off a wave of rumors fueled by a number of reports in international media that the new F-35 is a fighter plane rife with glitches and problems. At the last minute, before the planes were to take off from Fort Worth, Texas, the IDF announced on Aug. A pair of Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets were due to reach Israel the last week in August, adding to the other five fighter jets in a new squadron being created at an Israel Defense Forces air base in the south.
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