F-35 in the Spotlight: Iran’s Claims vs. Modern Air Combat
Stealth planes have long been the most valued possessions of contemporary air forces, engineered to penetrate enemy defenses and strike with little danger. But recent developments in the conflict between Israel and Iran have tested these assertions. Iranian state media claim to have downed several Israeli F-35I Adir stealth planes and taken their pilots into custody. But veteran military observers know that the truth is never quite so straightforward—stealth technology is advanced, but it isn’t magic.
Fundamentally, stealth is based on a combination of design, materials, and tactical strategy. Designers build aircraft with sloping surfaces and angled edges to bounce radar waves off, greatly reducing their radar signature. The F-117 Nighthawk, with its angular shape, produced a radar cross-section as small as 0.025 square meters—the equivalent of a small bird.
Compare that to the F-15 Eagle, with a size of about 25 square meters. Subsequent designs, such as the B-2 Spirit, employ a flying wing configuration to minimize reflections even further, down to 0.1 square meters despite the enormous wingspan. Even engines are tactically hidden with S-shaped ducts, such as on the F-22 Raptor, to keep surfaces detectable to a minimum.
Stealth isn’t solely about form. Radar-absorbent materials (RAM) are essential, dissipating radar energy into heat instead of reflections. The F-35 Lightning II has ferromagnetic particle-filled polymer-based RAM, creating a radar signature of as little as 0.005 square meters—on par with an insect.
The material is expensive and maintenance-intensive: one flight hour can demand as much as 50 hours of maintenance. Battlefield damage and environmental conditions can lower efficacy, and advanced passive radar systems can even detect certain coated aircraft from time to time.
Tactics are as important as technology. Low-flying stealth aircraft typically blend into the ground to escape detection, flying under radio silence and passive sensors. AWACS planes transmit critical information without compromising positions. F-117s flew at altitudes below 150 meters during the Gulf War and used ground clutter to escape detection. Pilots use skill to balance height, speed, and timing and remain out of enemy defenses’ reach, using the weak points and strengths of various radar systems.
But being hard to spot does not mean you can’t get hit. The 1999 crash of a US F-117 Nighthawk in Serbia is the only known incident where such an aircraft was shot down during war. Yugoslav troops targeted the plane using old-style radar to follow it and estimate where it would turn, demonstrating that even the best planes are vulnerable.
And now, Iranian allegations of striking Israeli F-35s are making headlines everywhere. Their report states that numerous planes crashed and pilots were apprehended. However, until now, no evidence has been presented: no unmistakable photographs, no outer space records, and no cross-verifications from other sources support this narrative.
Experts on war believe Iran’s air defense is not strong enough to locate or strike difficult-to-detect aircraft, especially after their radar systems are claimed by Israeli strikes to be destroyed.
The information battlefield is equally ruthless. Iranian news organizations posted pictures claimed to show crashed F-35s or captured pilots, but investigations identify them as unrelated incidents, AI-generated fabrications, or clips from video games. Israel disavowed reports that it had lost any of its aircraft, describing the rumors as part of an organized campaign of disinformation intended to raise morale in the face of casualties from attacks on Iranian targets.
Can the F-35 get shot down? In theory, yes, no aircraft is invincible. But with the combination of stealth technology, weapons of war, and clever tactics, it’s not likely. History proves there are vulnerabilities if an enemy identifies trends or creates new means to identify. Future generations of stealth capabilities may incorporate AI, swarm technology, and small, improved equipment to stay one step ahead of the threat.