As of June 17, Iranian media reported that the country's military had shot down four Israeli F-35 stealth fighters using an air defense system developed by Iran itself.
Iran's state-run Press TV claimed: "Iran has become the first country in the world to successfully shoot down a fifth-generation fighter jet." However, no evidence has been provided to support this claim.
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The photo of the downed F-35 is suspected to be an AI image due to the disproportionate proportions. Photo: Snopes . |
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has denied the information. IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee said: “Iranian media is spreading fake news. The information being spread is completely baseless.”
On social network X, a photo of a broken F-35 lying on the ground was spread, however, the information verification site Snopes said that the size ratio of the fighter compared to the people standing around was too large, so the image was not trustworthy.
The most modern fighter in the world
The shooting down of the F-35 is controversial because it is considered one of the most modern and comprehensive fighter jets ever produced, providing an advantage in combat.
Many military experts believe that this could be the best fighter in history, both in terms of combat capabilities and technology. It is even predicted to become a major US military export in the near future.
The history of the F-35 began in the mid-1980s, as part of a research program initiated by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Lockheed Martin, the leading US defense manufacturing corporation, was tasked with developing a new fighter jet to replace the Harrier, an aircraft famous for its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
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The F-35 has the ability to avoid radar and a maximum speed of 1.6 times the speed of sound. Photo: Reuters . |
The F-35's most notable feature is its "stealth" capability. The fighter jet is designed with a shape and equipment that optimizes its ability to avoid radar. Experts agree that this is the fighter jet with the best level of stealth, or difficulty to detect, currently.
The F-35 uses the F135 engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, helping the aircraft reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.6, which is 1.6 times faster than the speed of sound. However, the superiority of the F-35 lies not only in its speed or aerodynamic shape but also in its advanced electronic technology. The aircraft possesses the most modern sensor system ever equipped on a fighter: from the multi-directional observation system (DAS), active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), optical targeting system (EOTS), to modern electronic warfare capabilities.
For years, the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor has been considered the king of the skies. However, the F-35 is considered more versatile and multi-role. Although Russia and China have developed their own fifth-generation fighters such as the Su-57 and J-20, most experts believe that these models are still inferior to the F-35 in terms of stealth, sensors and combat integration.
“Flying Arsenal”
In terms of combat capabilities, the F-35 is not inferior to traditional fighter models. In its standard combat configuration, it can carry 4 types of weapons inside the body to maintain stealth. When stealth is not needed, the F-35 can install 6 additional weapons externally, turning it into a "flying arsenal".
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An F-35 aircraft carrying an AIM-120 missile during a NATO exercise. Photo: TWZ . |
The US Air Force’s F-35A version is also equipped with a 25mm quad-barrel cannon mounted in the fuselage. When it needs to deploy maximum firepower, the F-35 can enter “beast mode”, with 4 GBU-12 laser-guided bombs under the wings, 2 in the bay and an AIM-9 air-to-air missile, creating terrible destructive power but at the cost of reduced stealth capabilities.
The fighter comes in three main versions: the F-35A for the Air Force, the F-35B for the Marine Corps with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, and the F-35C for the Navy, the first stealth fighter designed specifically for aircraft carriers, with a larger wingspan for easier landing on a moving ship's deck.
One of the biggest improvements of the F-35 is the ability to connect and share data between aircraft in the formation, including F-35s of allied countries. A US Air Force F-35 fighter instructor affirmed: “No other aircraft has ever given pilots the comprehensive situational awareness that the F-35 has. In combat, the ability to grasp the situation is pure gold.”
The Pentagon plans to continue operating the F-35 until at least 2070 and has already begun rolling out upgrades to extend its service life.
Source: https://znews.vn/may-bay-f-35-ma-iran-tuyen-bo-ban-roi-la-tiem-kich-nguy-hiem-nhat-post1561625.html
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