Illustrative image. (U.S. Central Command)
Iranian air defenses engaged a United States F-35 Lightning II on July 31 and forced the stealth fighter to abandon its mission and leave Iranian airspace, Iran’s Press TV reported on September 14, describing an encounter that highlights the growing challenge posed by Tehran’s rebuilt air-defense network.
The engagement occurred during the same operation in which Iranian forces shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper, according to the report.
The broadcaster said the F-35 encounter was particularly significant because the aircraft is designed to penetrate sophisticated air defenses through its low-observable design, sensor fusion and electronic warfare capabilities.
Iranian media said its air defenses obtained a lock on the F-35 during the engagement. Such a lock indicates that the system had established a sufficiently precise track to support an attack, rather than merely detecting the aircraft.
The report comes amid growing U.S. concern over Iran’s efforts to rebuild its air-defense capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz.
Axios had reported on August 31, citing U.S. officials, that U.S. Central Command was concerned Iran was restoring radar, air defense and anti-ship missile systems that could improve its ability to target American ships in the strait.
The news website said the concern was reinforced by an incident in which an Iranian anti-aircraft missile was fired at a U.S. F-35 provides cover for American ships.
The July engagement also follows a separate F-35 incident in March that was confirmed by U.S. officials. An American F-35 conducting a combat mission over Iran was damaged and made an emergency landing. Iran said its air defenses had struck the aircraft.
The way Iran tracked the July aircraft remains unclear. Press TV said Iranian defenses can combine radar with passive infrared sensors, which detect heat from an aircraft’s engines, exhaust and airframe without transmitting radar energy. That provides an alternative means of locating aircraft whose radar signatures have been reduced.
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if iran has any advantage, it can disguise it is good. but it should never refrain from destroying ant target that presents it self. including all ships.
unfortunately i think iran was hurt a lot more in the war than most people realize. a lot of ships are getting through the straight and yeah iran will hit one now and then but only a small percentage are hit. they need to figure out how to get the sea mines back out there and then figure out some new missile/drone launch sites that the jews don’t know about and monitor 24/7.
oh yeah. which one($)?… ships i mean. good thing trump has them making a deal even when he’s said it too many times to count in the past 6 months along with the total obliteration of the iranian armed forces (which keeps getting announced) how ’bout them houthis!!!!
“a lot of ships are getting through the straight” 6 a day, but prior to the us and the joo’s starting this conflict it was 130 ships per day.
keď už irán dokáže sledovať neviditeľnú f35 usa, tak potom niečo nie je v poriadku. irán teraz rozbil tvrdenia o neviditeľnosti f35. iba idioti teraz budú nakupovať predražené f35 od usa. tieto stroje stáli za hovno hneď od samotného začiatku, kedy boli dané do prevádzky a teraz stoja za kopu sračiek. mysleniu zdar. svetu mier.
es gibt jede menge idioten in den europäischen regierungen, die darauf hereingefallen sind.
but trump and his administration keep saying that iranian air defence were all destroyed.
after being engaged to my tranny filipino bf my americunt anuz repeatedly pumped w joo jizz almost daily
targeting systems fascinate me. infrared has been around forever. i wonder if it’s possible to track sound? the f35, like all strike fighters, has a very loud engine but so would the missile that is attacking it.