Iran’s claim to shoot down a US F-35 hits its reputation as potential buyers said to be backing out

Spain has abandoned its plans to acquire the F-35 and has instead opted to invest in European-manufactured fighter jets.

Iran, F-35, IRGC, Majid air defense system, Middle East, Talash air defense system, Spain, India, Switzerland, Canada — The repercussions of this development are already becoming apparent in the strategic decisions of various nations.

New Delhi: On March 19, Iran claimed to have shot down the world’s most advanced US fighter jet, the F-35. According to the Iranian media outlet Press TV, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) brought it down using its indigenously developed ‘Majid’ air defense system.

Identified critical vulnerability in F-35: Iran

If this claim is true, Iran would become the first country to have achieved such a feat. For nearly two decades, the F-35 fighter jet has been regarded as the ultimate symbol of US military might. It is a premier fighter aircraft, specifically designed to penetrate and strike within even the world’s most robust air defense networks without being detected.

Iran asserts that it has identified a critical vulnerability in this jet, which is widely considered to be ‘invisible.’ The Majid defense system reportedly targeted the F-35 by detecting the infrared radiation—or heat—emitted by the aircraft. Iran argues that while the F-35 may be capable of evading radar detection, the heat generated by its engines cannot be completely concealed.

Meanwhile, the US news outlet CNN, citing sources, also reported that an F-35 was forced to make an emergency landing in the Middle East following Iranian attacks.

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F-35 Shot Down Using Just One Missile: Iran

According to Iranian media reports, it was initially believed that the ‘Talash’ air defense system had been utilized to shoot down the F-35. However, it is now being asserted that it was, in fact, the Majid short-range air defense system that brought down the F-35.

The electronic warfare systems equipped on the F-35 are typically designed to jam or disrupt enemy radar signals. However, here, they proved to be completely ineffective.

According to a video released by Iran, a single missile was sufficient to carry out this attack. This was intended to demonstrate the system’s precision and highlight the critical vulnerability of the F-35 regarding its heat signature.

Majid Air Defense System Can Engage Targets Up to 6 km Away

Iran publicly unveiled the Majid air defense system for the first time in 2021. It has been designed specifically for close-range defense. The most significant feature of this system is that it does not rely on radar; instead, it utilizes infrared technology. Consequently, even aircraft designed to evade radar detection cannot escape its detection capabilities.

F-35’s Reputation Hit Across The Globe

Iran’s claim of having shot down an F-35 has stunned military forces and defense experts worldwide. Until now, the strategic planning of numerous nations was predicated on the assumption that the F-35 was virtually invincible; however, in the wake of this claim, that very premise is now being called into question.

The repercussions of this development are already becoming apparent in the strategic decisions of various nations. Spain, for instance, has abandoned its plans to acquire the F-35 and has instead opted to invest in European-manufactured fighter jets. India has also given a clear indication that it will not purchase the F-35 and will instead focus on its domestic projects. Meanwhile, demands to cancel this deal are mounting in Switzerland, and Canada is also reconsidering the purchase of additional aircraft.

Currently, the United States possesses approximately 450 to 500 F-35 jets. The F-35 is considered the world’s most expensive weapons program, with a reported total cost of nearly $1.7 trillion.

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