The Israeli air force is the most capable in the Middle East and worldwide. They operate one of the best advance upgraded fighter jets.
Israel decrypts the first aerial results of F-35 fighter jets. In March last year, the Israeli military recently released a video of an Israeli F-35 fighter jet shooting down two Iranian flying-wing drones. It can be said that the F35 strength possessed by Israel is more advance than any other fighter jet operated by any Middle East country.
As part of the advanced electronic system of the record, other equipment also includes the AN/AAQ-37 distributed aperture system, also known as EODAS, AN/AAQ-40 electro-optical sighting system, namely EOTS, AN/ASQ-239 electronic The combat system communicates, navigates and identifies CNI components with the AN/ASQ-242. The F-35 has powerful detection capabilities as a small early warning aircraft. The first is the AN/APG-81 active phased array AESA fire control radar. With the cooperation of the AN/AAQ-37 system, it can also accurately detect and measure ballistic missiles.
After accurate detection and measurement, what can be done? Could it be that the F35 can intercept ballistic missiles? No, although the F35 cannot intercept itself, it can provide fire control support for the US Network Center Airborne Defense Unit (NCADE) or the interception of sea-based and land-based “Aegis” systems, which reflects the F35’s “early warning aircraft” positioning.
This is not the best. The AN/APG-81 can also jam in the frequency band that matches the enemy’s air defense radar and can potentially destroy the enemy’s electronic equipment, which means that it also has electronic warfare support functions. An electronic fighter is comparable to the EA-18G “Growler.”
And this is only part of the advanced electronic system of the F35. Other equipment includes the AN/AAQ-37 distributed aperture system, often referred to as EODAS, AN/AAQ-40 optoelectronic sighting system, namely EOTS, AN/ASQ- The 239 electronic warfare system communicates, navigates, and identifies CNI components with the AN/ASQ-242. Don’t think that the F35’s AN/AAQ-37 distributed aperture system is just an optoelectronic device.
It’s nothing special, even if it “sees through” the cockpit and can provide the pilot with a 360-degree spherical image. It has successfully tracked a missile more than a thousand kilometers away. The AN/APG-81 we mentioned earlier can track ballistic missiles, and it was completed with its cooperation.
Not only that, the F35 will continue to improve. Its next-generation EODAS system reliability will be enhanced by more than five times. The performance will be improved by two times. The F35’s EOTS photoelectric sighting system is also being developed for the next generation. It will break through the limitation that the AN/AAQ-40 cannot detect the upper airspace and overcome the shortcomings of the narrow field of view. Almost no need to turn on the radar throughout the whole mission.
It will be interesting to see if any other middle east country will operate F-35 in the future. If yes, will those f-35 match Israeli F-35s because Israel keeps upgrading their fighter jets by themselves effectively.