Israel has increased the range of its fifth-generation F-35I Adir fighters, as a result of which they will be able to reach Iran without refueling, writes The Drive, referring to the publication of the Israeli press.
How it was possible to increase the range of the aircraft so radically is not indicated. The American edition admits that this could happen due to an increase in the volume of external fuel tanks or through the use of conformal fuel tanks. In the first case, the radar visibility of the aircraft increases, but this problem can be solved by dropping fuel tanks before entering Iranian airspace. In the second case, the additional tanks fit snugly to the airframe, which practically does not affect the stealth characteristics of the fighter.
The publication reminds that the base range of the F-35I Adir without refueling is just over 650 nautical miles (1200 kilometers).
Also, the F-35I Adir received a new one-ton bomb developed by Rafael. It is noted that it is located in the inner compartment of the aircraft and has protection from electronic countermeasures.
The publication writes that the improvements of the F-35I Adir are designed to potentially defeat elements of the Iranian echeloned air defense (air defense).
In March, Defense News reported that a pair of F-35I Adir for the first time shot down two Iranian Shahad 197 drones used to transport ammunition to the Gaza Strip.
