For the first time, the U.S. Air Force has revealed the role of its fifth-generation F-35A fighter jets in Operation Midnight Hammer, during the June strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The mission involved 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 bombers, which released 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs aimed at causing maximum damage to Iran's nuclear program. However, despite official claims of the mission's success, independent assessments indicated that the nuclear program suffered less damage than expected.
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Details about the role of the F-35A aircraft in this mission are revealed in Air And Space Forces Magazine. These were relatively standard tasks, such as carrying out SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) against Iranian forces and providing cover for the strike group during its exit from the mission area.
According to Col. Charles Fallon, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, which participated in Operation Midnight Hammer, "the effectiveness of this strike validated all of the capabilities of the F-35 we've been talking about for years" were confirmed during the mission. He added that this fighter jet will be relevant "for today's fight and tomorrow's fight, wherever that may be."
At the same time, Lt. Col. Aaron Osborne, commander of the 34th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, highlighted that the F-35s effectively suppressed Iranian anti-aircraft missile positions, and thanks to their stealth technology and electronic warfare systems, the enemy was unable to hit the fifth-generation fighters.
Osborne emphasized that Iran attempted to target the American fighter jets with "some advanced systems," but was unsuccessful. The exact nature of these "advanced systems" has not been disclosed, and it is possible that this is an exaggeration meant to highlight the F-35's role in the mission.
Iran also reportedly operates the mysterious Bavar-373 anti-aircraft missile systems, unveiled in 2019, with a range of 200–300 km and performance said to exceed that of the S-400. However, these are statements made by the Iranians themselves, and should not be believed without confirmation.
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