Iran Shoots Down Third F-35 Fighter, Captures Second Pilot

[Anonymous]

Iranian state media on June 14 reported the shootdown of a third Israeli F-35 fifth generation fighter in the country’s airspace, following two prior reported shootdowns and the capture of a female pilot. The aircraft was reportedly also shot down by ground-based air defence systems, with the pilot surviving and being apprehended. This has brought the total number of F-35 pilots captured to two. Military Watch previously analysed the likely veracity of Iranian claims in detail, including the strengths and limitations of the country’s air defences and the risks to F-35 squadrons as a result of the means by which they have been employed. With the large majority of Israeli fighter squadrons considered effectively obsolete, relying on F-15s and F-16s using ageing mechanically scanned array radars, the F-35 is relied on heavily to spearhead attacks on Iranian targets, and is the only fighter that retains a degree of survivability for penetration missions deep into Iranian airspace. While F-15s and F-16s fire missiles into Iran from safe distances, the F-35 can overfly high priority targets such as nuclear sites to drop high diameter gravity bombs, which have a significantly greater penetrative capacity than air-launched missiles. This is particularly valuable against fortified underground targets, such as parts of the Natanz Nuclear Facility.

https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/iran-shoots-down-third-f35-captures-second-pilot

Wow the F-35? This has some big implications for the US and Israel. There is no way the US or Israel can afford to lose 3 F-35 per mission. Israel only has/had 39 f-35s and the readiness rate is like 50%. It will take a lot of missions to impact Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

If this is true this will have some major consequences for the US. With deteriorating relations with Europe, the F-35 will be a hard sell to NATO countries rebuilding their defense industries. Before this there was a lot of talk of passing on the f-35. The cost per plan will explode without the Europeans.

[Anonymous]

Which Democrat politicians are still supporting AIPAC?

[jsteele]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1278904.page