How Is the U.S. Military's F-35 Stealth Fighter Shot Down? Expert Analysis

Iran announces it hit a U.S. F-35 fighter jet; U.S. admits the aircraft made an emergency landing; investigation ongoing

On the 19th, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that its air defense system shot down a U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jet, causing serious damage. Earlier, CNN reported that an F-35 was suspected to have been hit by Iranian fire and made an emergency landing at a U.S. base in the Middle East. On the 20th, Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Kalibaf, stated that the F-35, as a symbol of U.S. arrogance, was “hit for the first time in the world.” Iran’s Mehr News Agency wrote that this incident demonstrates Iran’s deterrence capabilities. As the expensive F-35 was “severely damaged,” the White House is seeking an additional $200 billion in funding for military actions against Iran. The high costs of the war the U.S. is paying have once again become a public focus.

The large image shows a photo of a U.S. F-35 fighter jet. The smaller image is a screenshot of a video published by Iranian media showing the “F-35 hit by air defense” (Visual China / U.S. “Power” website “Battle Zone” channel screenshot).

Iranian Speaker: F-35 is a symbol of U.S. arrogance

CNN on the 19th quoted a statement from CENTCOM spokesperson Hawkins, saying that a U.S. F-35 was forced to make an emergency landing while “conducting operations over Iran,” but landed safely, with the pilot in stable condition. The incident is under investigation. The F-35 “Lightning II” is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The report states that both the U.S. and Israel used this aircraft in the conflict, each costing about $100 million.

According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ public relations department issued a statement on the 19th saying that around 2:50 a.m. that day, an American F-35 was hit by Iran’s air defense system and was severely damaged. “So far, Iran’s air defense has successfully intercepted over 125 U.S. and Israeli drones. The strike on the F-35 demonstrates a significant and targeted change in Iran’s air defense capabilities.”

Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told Global Times that if Iran successfully hit the F-35, it is largely related to the technical features of its air defense system. The F-35 mainly relies on radar stealth; although it also uses some infrared stealth technology, it cannot escape detection by infrared tracking systems. Iranian media’s publicly released video shows that Iran likely intercepted the F-35 using infrared tracking, then struck it with infrared-guided or command-guided missiles. Infrared tracking’s advantages include passive detection without emitting radar waves, making it difficult for targets to realize they are being tracked. Additionally, this system is hard to jam.

Zhang Xuefeng believes Iran may have used a light-vehicle-mounted air defense system, whose signal and appearance features are not obvious, making it difficult to detect and suitable for ambush tactics.

Regarding the hit on the F-35, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Kalibaf wrote on social media on the 20th that it is “not just a fighter jet, but a symbol of U.S. invincibility and arrogance… The fact that it was hit for the first time in the world marks the beginning of the collapse of the order.”

Mehr News Agency stated that if Iran’s air defense system was truly “destroyed” as claimed by U.S. President Trump, how could one of the world’s most advanced and expensive fighters, the F-35, be attacked and forced to retreat during a mission? This is not just a simple military incident but a demonstration of Iran’s deterrence.

An article on the U.S. “Power” website’s “Battle Zone” channel said that the authenticity of Iran’s claims cannot be independently verified. The U.S. “The National Interest” website on the 19th noted that the F-35 has never been shot down in combat, though about a dozen have been damaged in accidents. Past incidents were attributed to mechanical failures or pilot errors.

U.S. military aircraft losses overview

“During high-intensity airstrikes, the number of U.S. aircraft damaged continues to rise,” Bloomberg reported on the 19th. Since the U.S.-Iran conflict began, at least 16 U.S. military aircraft have been destroyed, including 10 “Reaper” drones hit by enemy fire and 6 damaged in attacks or accidents. Qatar’s Al Jazeera reported that the U.S. has lost about 12 MQ-9 “Reaper” drones. Bloomberg said that although Iran’s air defense systems were among the first targets of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, completely destroying them and gaining air superiority remains difficult.

As the F-35 made an “emergency landing,” the White House is seeking an additional $200 billion for military actions against Iran. BBC reported that Trump on the 19th said this money would be used to replenish munitions and supplies consumed by the conflict and previous aid to other countries.

A Bloomberg article on the 20th detailed the high costs for the Biden administration in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. For example, a full Patriot missile defense system costs about $1 billion, and the long-term costs include the interceptors, each costing $4 million. An American official told The New York Times that about 800 interceptors were launched in the first week of the war, highlighting its scale. In comparison, Ukraine received about 600 Patriot missiles over four years of conflict with Russia.

BBC noted that the $200 billion funding request will trigger fierce legislative battles in Congress. While Republicans are expected to have enough votes to pass it, ongoing war and economic chaos could impose “heavy political costs.” CNN said that passing this funding in Congress is “extremely difficult,” with some Republican lawmakers skeptical about extending the conflict at the cost of trillions.

U.S.-Israel relations in a “precarious period”

CNN believes the U.S. government initially hoped to be in a more advantageous position three weeks into the conflict, but “no clear way out” remains. Despite U.S. and Israeli efforts to inflict heavy losses on Iran, Iran has also gained some initiative and is affecting the global economy by controlling the Strait of Hormuz. “Things could get worse,” CNN warned, citing attacks on Gulf oil and gas facilities, including Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field.

Reportedly, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on the 19th claimed that Israel’s attacks on Iran’s oil and gas facilities were “done independently,” but he did not directly confirm whether the U.S. was aware beforehand. Trump previously said he was “not aware” of the operation. However, multiple U.S. media outlets disclosed that the U.S. “knew” about the operation. Netanyahu also denied on the 19th that Israel was dragging the U.S. into war. CNN noted that so far, the U.S. government has at least twice implied that Israel bears major responsibility for a significant turning point in the war. This could negatively impact Israel’s image in American society. Despite joint U.S.-Israel actions against Iran, relations are in a “precarious period,” posing a serious test for both countries.

Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao on the 20th cited analysts saying that U.S. and Israeli leaders lack a clear consensus on Iran’s war goals, which is a core disagreement. AFP reported that Israel aims to overthrow the Iranian regime, while U.S. objectives keep changing.

Source: Global Times - Global Network Special Correspondent Li Yong, Global Times - Global Network Reporter Xian Yifan, Wang Tianmi

Editor: Meng Yuan

Proofreader: Zhang Liyuan

Review: Zhang Xiaoya