Israelis To Boost F-35 Fleet’s Electronic Warfare

[spazsinbad]

Israelis To Boost F-35 Fleet’s Electronic Warfare
15 Jun 2020 Arie Egozi

"TEL AVIV: The Israeli air force’s F-35 special test aircraft is set to arrive in Israel, suitably enough, on the Fourth of July, along with three more Joint Strike Fighters. The arrival will start a planned process of upgrading the IAF’s F-35 aimed at making them the main target supplier for the Israeli defense forces. The special test aircraft was officially delivered to the IAF a year ago and some new systems developed by Israel have been installed. But the most sensitive systems will be installed only after the aircraft lands in Israel....

...The already very advanced ELINT system of the F-35 is going to be further upgraded by the IAF, working with Israel’s defense companies. Since the stealth fighter aircraft first arrived in Israel, some locally-made systems have been partially tested in different scenarios, but the test aircraft will allow these new systems to be put completely through their paces.

The test aircraft will enable each of the Israeli F-35s to function as a “Target Generator” for all Israeli ground and naval forces thanks to what some have described as an Israeli-built command-and-control system....

...In November another three [ordinary F-35i ADIRs] are scheduled to arrive, bringing the IAF’s total to 27 out of the 50 in the current contract...."

Source: https://breakingdefense.com/2020/06/isr ... c-warfare/

[mixelflick]

Right.

Like the Israeli's E/W systems aren't already off the charts good

[jessmo112]

Imagine all of the data that they are receiving and sharing with the U.S.. The Russian airdefenses have been running in full war mode for years. The U.S. and Israel probably have an exstensive library now.

[hornetfinn]

Israel definitely doesn't mess around when it comes to military matters. Their military industry is insanely good for such a small country. They make some really, really good radars, EW/ELINT systems, UAVs and all kinds of missiles among many other things. It seems that aircraft are about the only thing they don't want to make themselves any more. I think that kind of concentration on own strengths is really smart.

[fang]

Today four Adir F-35i's on delivery to Israel.
Landed safely at Lajes airport for weekend stop.

Adir 924 is a test aircraft for FTC in Tel Nof AFB, the landing photo (by Joao Toste) revealed a unique white triangle (like antenna) on the top of the plane that never been there before and no other F-35 got it.
Any idea what is that?
http://www.aviationphotography.pt/image ... 5IAdir/924

[johnwill]

Likely it is a telemetry antenna for transmitting test data to the ground station for live monitoring.

[krorvik]

It's also there on early test airframes like AF-01: