Israel’s military officials announced on Wednesday (March 4th) that an F-35I “Adir” stealth fighter jet had shot down an Iranian Air Force Yak-130 combat aircraft. This marks the first time an F-35 aircraft has engaged and shot down a manned fighter jet in aerial combat. It is also the first time in nearly 40 years that the Israeli Air Force has engaged in aerial combat with manned aircraft.
The Israeli Air Force commander told the pilots that this “historic” milestone showcased Israel’s military capabilities.
“This historic aerial combat operation over Tehran demonstrates the strength of the Israeli Air Force and your personal determination,” said Major General Tomer Bar, the Israeli Air Force commander.
“The war continues – return safely. Rest well. The next mission is waiting for you,” he told the pilots.
According to the Israeli Times, the commander of the Nevetim Air Force Base (the home base of Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jets) stated, “we identified the aircraft, locked the target, and launched the missile.”
“the Iranian aircraft posed a threat to our aircraft. It could have hit our aircraft, so we shot it down,” Brigadier General “Daled” (referred to only by his military rank and Hebrew initial) said.
The Air Force base commander stated that the Israeli pilots who shot down the Iranian aircraft were relatively junior in the Air Force, but it was not their first mission in Iran.
“The Iranian Air Force understands its weaker capabilities and faces significant threats. Nevertheless, they are still doing everything in their power, utilizing their remaining capabilities to interfere with our missions. It is this situation that led to the shooting down,” the Air Force base commander said.
The last time Israeli Air Force jets shot down enemy manned aircraft was on November 24, 1985, over Lebanon. At that time, an Israeli Air Force F-15 jet shot down two Syrian MiG-23 fighters.
The F-35I is Israel’s customized version of the U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. The F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, and the F-35I is the main variant used by the Israeli Air Force.
According to the official F-35 project website, Israel was the first country to choose this type of aircraft through the U.S. government’s foreign military sales program and signed an agreement in October 2010.
The website shows that the Israeli Air Force named the aircraft “Adir” in Hebrew, meaning “mighty,” and received the first F-35 jet on June 22, 2016.
Regarding the Yak-130 aircraft shot down by the Israeli F-35I, according to the Russian United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which manufactures the jet, it is a Russian-designed twin-seat combat trainer produced by the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
According to Iran’s state television Press TV, the Iranian Air Force received its first Yak-130 trainer jet in September 2023.
In November 2023, Iranian Deputy Minister of Defense Mahdi Farahi told Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency that the procurement plan for Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 trainer jets had been finalized and would be joining the Iranian armed forces.