Israel to Use F-35 Stealth Warplanes Against Syria
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Installation of Russian S-300 air defense systems compromises Israel’s ability to continue waging naked aggression against Syrian targets.
Its officials falsely claim the IDF is protecting the country’s security – despite no threat from Syria, Iran or any other countries.
It’s unclear whether F-35s are stealth enough to avoid being targeted. The 5th generation warplane is plagued with problems not so far overcome after over a decade of development.
According to the Pentagon last year, over 270 deficiencies remain to be overcome, including structural problems, perhaps the aircraft’s ability to operate undetected.
In simulated dogfights, the F-16 (in use since the 1970s) outclasses it. So far, the F-35 has been a multi-trillion dollar boondoggle, a white elephant if serious design flaws can’t be fixed.
Billions of dollars were wasted trying, cost overruns enormous. Depending on buyer specifications, each aircraft costs up to $300 million.
America’s war department plans call for producing over 2,400 F-35s for US use, hundreds more for foreign buyers.
While still in development, the plane is being produced, the US and Israel using them.
Unknown is whether Russian S-300s and/or S-400s can lock on to these planes and down them – the answer likely coming if Israel uses them to terror-bomb Syrian targets as reported.
The Netanyahu regime reportedly bought 50 F-35s at a heavily discounted $125 million cost per plane, US taxpayer dollars making up the difference for producer Lockheed Martin.
Their money is spent on destructive militarism and warmaking, corporate handouts, and tax cuts for the rich – instead of for vital homeland needs, including fast-eroding social programs.
Eight F-35s were delivered to Israel so far, the rest scheduled to arrive in 2021.
According to IDF military intelligence-connected DEBKAfile, Trump “ordered additional F-35 stealth planes supplied forthwith to Israel in response to” S-300 air defense systems installed for Syrian use.
Will the aircraft’s design, software, radar, and other operational flaws make it vulnerable to S-300 detection and downing?
On Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin warned Israel against attacking the S-300s.
On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin accused Washington of operating in Syria illegally, breaching UN Charter principles.
Foreign forces can operate abroad only in two ways legally, he stressed – either by invitation of the host government or with Security Council authorization.
He wants all foreign forces to leave Syria eventually, including Russian personnel, saying “(w)e should strive to have no forces of foreign, third countries on the territory of Syria at all. We need to move towards this.”
As long as uninvited hostile ones and their terrorist foot soldiers remain, along with continued US-led NATO and Israeli terror-bombing, conflict resolution will remain unattainable.
Transferring additional numbers of F-35s for Israeli use indicates the Trump regime’s determination to help the IDF continue terror-bombing Syrian targets and perpetuate endless war – even with enhanced Syrian and Russian air defense capabilities installed.
Israeli national security expert Tzachi Hanegbi believes F-35 stealth capabilities make these planes undetectable.
If one is downed in Syrian airspace, the IDF’s ability to continue terror-bombing the country will be greatly compromised.
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