The Israeli Air Force’s F-35I “Adir” (Hebrew for mighty) stealth fighter jet has emerged as a central component of the successful air campaign against Iran. 

An Israeli security source told JNS that the jet’s contribution to the success of “Operation Rising Lion” against Iran had been critical. “The Adir played a key role in the campaign, mainly thanks to its ability to create a battle picture in a league above everyone else, and it is, in fact, an airborne intelligence center,” the source stated.

The Lockheed Martin-produced  F-35 is designed as a network-centric warfare platform. The aircraft’s advanced sensors and data-fusion capabilities allow it to gather vast amounts of intelligence on enemy ground and air activities, including radar and command-and-control sites, and then securely share that real-time data with other assets in the strike package, such as F-15 and F-16 jets.