Israel claims to have developed an external drop tank for the F-35I that does not compromise its stealth characteristics.

Throughout its history, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has carried out strike missions far from its home bases along the Mediterranean coast. In 1981, the IAF carried out strikes on Iraq’s nuclear program as part of Operation Opera. Those strikes marked the first significant air-to-ground operation of the F-16 Fighting Falcon—preceding any similar action by the US Air Force, the F-16’s first and largest operator.

That long-range strike was followed four years later by Operation Wooden Leg, the bombing raid on the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) headquarters in Tunis. Eight McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles, mostly used up to that point as air superiority fighters, were refueled mid-flight by an Israeli Boeing 707 tanker. The challenge facing the IAF was that its fighters would need to fly nearly 2,000 km (1,250 miles) round-trip across the Mediterranean Sea.

The IAF clearly understands that it may have to address additional threats, notably those from Iran. It has carried out such strikes in the past and may expect to do so in the future. Maintaining an element of surprise in the 21st century remains essential.

Israel already employs the US-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, including the IAF-specific variant, the F-35I Adir. The issue is how to ensure that the fifth-generation multirole fighter can travel the distance separating Israel from its regional adversaries. Either the jets must carry extra fuel tanks, which stick out from the fuselage and compromise their stealth capabilities, or they must rely on aerial refueling, which is logistically challenging and not always available.

The F-35I Adir’s Specifications

• Year Introduced: 2016
• Number Built: ~48 (50 expected in service soon)
• Length: 51.4 ft (15.7 m)
• Wingspan: 35 ft (10.7 m)
• Weight (MTOW): ~70,000 lbs (31,751 kg)
• Engines: One (1) Pratt & Whitney F135 engine
• Top Speed: ~1,200 mph (1,930 km/h) / Mach 1.6+
• Range: ~1,380 miles (2,220 km)
• Service Ceiling: 50,000+ ft (15,240 m)
• Loadout:
  • Internal Gun: One 25mm GAU-22/A rotary cannon
  • Payload: Up to 18,000 lbs (8,165 kg) internally/externally
• Aircrew: 1

The F-35I Adir Now Has Stealthy Extended-Range Fuel Tanks

The Times of Israel reported this week that the IAF had apparently solved this conundrum—modifying its F-35I jets with extended-range fuel tanks that nonetheless preserve the aircraft’s stealth and low radar signature.

“We developed fuel tanks that extend the aircraft’s range without compromising stealth, and we added four missiles on the wings,” explained Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, in an interview with the Israel Hayom daily.

The IAF is believed to have been developing range-extending fuel tanks for several years, enabling the fifth-generation fighter to strike distant targets in the Islamic Republic without refueling midair.

The issue has been that external fuel tanks would increase the F-35I’s radar signature and reduce stealth. One solution was to have tanks that could be jettisoned before entering enemy airspace, but this limits the aircraft’s flexibility as well.

Leiter didn’t elaborate on how the stealth was maintained, but the tanks would likely use conformal installations that align with the aircraft’s external geometry, thereby limiting the aircraft’s observable signature.

The F-35I Is Well-Suited to New Modifications

The F-35I Adir (meaning “Mighty One” in Hebrew) is noted for its domestically developed mission computers, an IAF-specific electronic warfare (EW) suite, and other systems. Those changes to the baseline F-35 were intended to ensure Israel could maintain a quantitative edge with the fighter by incorporating enhancements over the years and even decades to come.

As Army Recognition explained, the F-35I also serves as a “testbed for national industry as much as a frontline fighter.” That allows the aircraft to incorporate new systems as needed.

“The Adir is therefore employed not only as a multirole combat aircraft, but also as a high-end sensor and C4ISR node within Israel’s wider integrated air and missile defense network,” Army Recognition added. 

Extended-range fuel tanks, which could reduce refueling requirements, are among the potential modifications being considered for the fighter. It could be “part of a broader national customization strategy that leverages the aircraft’s modular design to align its performance profile with Israel’s long-range strike and deterrence needs.”

Beyond the enhancements to the F-35, Leiter also praised the IAF’s aviators.

“The number of flight hours our pilots have on the F-35 is greater than that of all the pilots of the other foreign countries that were partners in developing the aircraft,” Leiter added. “The feedback from our pilots reaches Lockheed Martin. When I visited there a few weeks ago, their CEO told me that Israel’s information and developments are worth many billions to my company.”

Israel Loves the F-35 Fighter—and Has Used It Extensively

Israel’s interest in the F-35 jet program dates back to the early 2000s, when the IAF explicitly committed to replacing its aging F-16 fleet with at least 100 F-35A aircraft. The Jewish state signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) to purchase the advanced aircraft in 2010. It became the first foreign operator of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter on June 22, 2016, when the IAF received its initial F-35A at a ceremony at the aerospace firm’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

The IAF declared its F-35 fleet operationally capable in December 2017, marking the completion of an intensive integration and training effort conducted at Nevatim Air Force Base (AFB), Israel. As noted, the F-35I models are broadly equivalent to the F-35A but incorporate Israeli-made technology and weapons, including a domestic advanced EW suite layered on top of the jet’s existing avionics. Additional changes include special, IAF-tailored helmet-mounted displays, bespoke datalink functionality specific to the Israel Defense Forces, and enhancements to the F-35’s already-potent data-gathering and processing capabilities.

The Adir proved especially mighty during last June’s Operation Rising Lion, the 12-day Israeli military campaign launched against Iran targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The strikes aided in disabling Tehran’s nuclear program and killed several high-ranking military officials and atomic scientists.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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