Iran operation leaves US longing for Israeli F-35 upgrade

Israel’s successful attack on Iran, which saw the combat range of its U.S.-built F-35 fighter jets stretched well beyond what had been assumed to be its limits, has left the U.S. Air Force stunned and wanting that same long range for itself, the Israeli daily Maariv reported on Monday.

Over 12 days in June, Israel launched more than 1,500 sorties against the Islamic Republic to knock out that country’s nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs.

Sorties averaged about 1,000 miles (one way) and, at least in one case, stretched to 1,400 miles to bomb an Iranian Air Force aerial refueling tanker at Mashhad Airport.

A portion of those flights were made by the F-35I, or “Adir” (Hebrew for “mighty”), the Israeli-customized version of Lockheed Martin’s F-35A Lightning II fighter jet.

According to reports cited by Maariv, Israel was able to increase the range of its planes by using external fuel tanks and conformal fuel tanks—extra fuel tanks fitted closely to the aircraft’s profile—without compromising its stealth capability.

The combat range of the F-35A is about 670 nautical miles (745 miles). The U.S. Navy’s version, the F-35C, has a slightly longer range, according to some sources.

Israel also relied heavily on aerial refueling, carrying out more than 700 midair refueling hookups with its Boeing 707 “Re’em” aircraft, as detailed in a June 25 Ynet report. However, aerial refueling is not always practical when stealth is a priority, such as over enemy territory with advanced defenses.

Israel’s F-35Is flew over Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq without being detected, Maariv reported. They utilized two types of fuel tanks: a 425-gallon external fuel tank made by Israel’s Elbit Systems, which is suspended under the wings and ejected before entering enemy territory; and an 800-gallon conformal tank, developed in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin.

The latter is installed next to the fuselage without compromising its stealth profile.

With the possibility of a clash with China, the United States is keen to improve the range of its fighter aircraft, preferring to reduce its dependence on aerial refueling planes, which lack stealth and are particularly vulnerable in war, Maariv said.

Other countries that lack serious refueling capability have also expressed interest in extending the range of their U.S.-made planes.

Israel has notched up other “firsts” with its F-35 variant. It is the first to fly the planes in “beast mode,” which is carrying external ordinance, according to a March report published on the defense industry site TWZ.

“The Israeli ‘Adir’ aircraft is the only aircraft in the world that has carried out operational strikes with an external armament configuration, which increased the attack capabilities,” the Israeli Air Force posted to X that month.