Israel wants to begin the implementation of the planned changes in its airforce F-35 and hopes that the tensions with the U.S over the war in Gaza, will not create obstacles.
Some of the planned changes will require approval of the U.S airforce.
The Israeli airforce (IAF) is preparing its F-35 for possible attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
This while Iran makes the preparation for a quick assembly of a nuclear bomb. According to Iran international , the website operated from London by the opposition to the regime in Teheran , Ali-Akbar Salehi, the former head of Iran’s nuclear agency has implied in remarks broadcast on Monday that Iran has everything it needs for an A-bomb.
The local changes made by the IAF in its F-35’s are the main reason for the decision to perform heavy maintenance in Israel and not send the stealth aircraft to a European maintenance center. The changes are being made to make the stealth aircraft more capable when and if Israel attacks the nuclear sites in Iran.
In March, 2023 the IAF participated in a joint exercise with Greece, France, Cyprus, Italy, and the US .
Sources here were only ready to say that the F-35 operated by the IAF will carry more fuel “in special tanks”. This in the non-stealth phase of the flight.
Israel aerospace industries (IAI) has developed special fuel tanks for different types of fighter aircraft .
The IAF operates old 707 that have been converted to operate as refueling aircraft and has recently ordered some new Boeing KC-46A . The first will be delivered towards the end on 2025.
The sources here said that the added fuel to be carried by the F-35 is a must even with the aerial refueling.
In recent tests, performed with the IAF’s F-35 special test aircraft it was armed with an Israeli-made very precise bomb weighing 1000 kgs .
This bomb was designed to fit the weapons bay of the F-35 . It is described as a bomb with “super penetration”. No further details have been released but one of the Israel company Rafael family of smart bombs is the Spice 2000 An add-on kit for 900 kg warheads such as the MK-84, BLU-109, RAP-2000 and others .
In recent tests this unique bomb developed for the IAF’s F-35 achieved a CEP of 3 meters .
The F-35 test aircraft operated by the IAF’s main test unit has been also equipped with systems that enable it to fly and launch weapon systems in an EW-saturated area . The test aircraft was also used to enhance the F-35 capabilities to intercept armed UAV’s that Iran is making in a growing number. Iran is sending great numbers of these armed UAV to Russia and they are being used in Ukraine . The added ant UAV capability is based on a systems that allow the pilots to get direct data from ground units that are part of the IDF’s “Depth command “
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