OPINION: What Israel could do with F-35 Joint Strike Fighter? by Mahmoud Morsi

By Mahmoud Morsi  Two days ago United States announced that by next year Israel will be getting a shipment of the United States’...

By Mahmoud Morsi 

Two days ago United States announced that by next year Israel will be getting a shipment of the United States’ new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet so that it’s military can retain its “qualitative edge” in the Middle East. Israel will be the only country in the Middle East to have this fifth-generation aircraft, regardless the debate over Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories and Iran’s nuclear program; the two nations continue to maintain strong military ties.

With no doubts F-35 is the best, but the question is about do Israel really need it now, and for what, with its F-15 I and F-16 the most advanced fighter in the world equipped with Israeli Tech and missiles.

Israeli already gave F-35 the Hebrew name Adir which, according to the Times of Israel, denotes awesomeness in Modern Hebrew, The deal involves Israel purchasing 14 F-35 jets for $110 million each. That is in addition to a previous agreement in 2010 that saw Israel agree to buy 19 jets. The first two planes are set to arrive in Israel in 2016, with the others making their way into the country by 2021.With all the money had spent in the program still many problems like the jet’s software maintenance system gives false-positive readings 80 % of the time. And the stealth capabilities of the jet, arguing that it’s not as effective against Chinese and Russian air defence systems as other aircraft are.But according to Ehud Barak words that The F-35 is the fighter plane of the future that will allow Israel to maintain its aerial superiority and its technological advantage in the region... The F-35 will give the IAF better capabilities, both near and far, to help strengthen Israel's national security. 

The first F-35I combat squadron is expected to achieve initial operational capability in 2018. The advanced electronic warfare, data links and specific software modes developed for the Israeli air force will remain unique to Israel and not delivered to any other user. These capabilities will also be fully integrated with the aircraft capabilities, adhering to the stealth characteristics of the aircraft, particularly, at specific apertures cleared for the Israeli systems integration in the lower fuselage and leading edge.

Israel will be the first in everything

Helmet-Mounted Display System for the
F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter

Israel is expected to receive the AIM-9X short-range air/air missile (AAM) and the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM .Nevertheless, the optimal weapon carriage for the F-35 comprises exclusively the AMRAAM missiles, enabling the fighter to maximize its “see-first, shoot-first, kill-first” strategy. The next generation BVR-AAM will offer both active and passive guidance techniques, offering effective intercept ranges in excess of 100 km.

F-35 has no limitations; it can take on and win against any threat currently available in-theater. Its ability to independently collect, assess and process a battle space situational picture, and strike those targets by itself, from standoff range, is providing a qualitative edge over anything the enemy can confront with, in the foreseeable future

There are some saying that Israel does not need the F-35 to maintain its technological superiority over the Arab countries and would be better off developing its own aircraft that did not have the design compromises of the F-35 but other may say that F-35 will have a deterrent effect with its ability to make preemptive attacks on hostile countries before war is declared, such as on Iran's nuclear facilities.

F 35 needs time to prove its capability, and until entering full operation in Middle East space battle, we have a long argument about how it will do that With new Russian air defence systems spread in Middle East in Iran and Egypt, and what other countries will have still the question with no answers.

References:

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/06/israel-plans-to-buy-over-100-f35s/