"The Pentagon has already declared its intention to integrate Artificial Intelligence into the next sixth generation fighter. At the moment, the F-35 is considered the last manned fighter plane ".
This is what we read in an in-depth study published on the Israeli Air Force website. “The sixth generation will integrate an AI component never before imagined. We estimate the first real operational use of these technologies in twenty years. From that moment on, it will be up to man alone to decide his degree of involvement ”. The F-35I “Ha-Adir” will reach the Nevatim AFB base in late 2016. From that moment, Israel will be the first country in the world to fly fifth generation tactical fighters (excluding the United States). Currently, the IAF is present in Fort Worth, Texas for integration on the aircraft. The Israeli F-35s will be unique. The cell will undergo extensive modifications to extend the F-35's range by at least 30% more. The Israeli F-35, as was the case with the F-15 and F16, will be a different fighter than those that Lockheed Martin will deliver to the JSF program partners. It will undoubtedly be characterized by advanced systems and, among these, a greater range of action. The IAF would have already designed specific additional tanks, such as not to affect the profile of the fighter and its low observability characteristics.
Lockheed Martin has already produced in the past a special version of the F-16 fighter, with additional tanks, for the Israeli air force. The current range of an F-35 is approximately 1150 km. If the Israeli F-35 increased by 30% its 'flight range' could hit Iranian targets. However, even with this greater capacity, the fighter would always need an in-flight refueling, considering that the Iranian targets are at a minimum distance of at least 1000 km.
The first 2,82 billion dollar contract, including aircraft maintenance and staff training, was signed in February last year. It is the continuation of a previous agreement of the 2010 for the purchase of nineteen F-35. The first two fighters will arrive in Israel by the end of the 2016. The first squadron of nineteen F-35 will be operating in the Israeli Air Force at the beginning of 2019. 33, to date, has purchased F-35 (Israel would like at least 75, but it depends on US military assistance supplies). Each "Ha-Adir" will cost 110 million dollars.
(photo: Lockheed Martin)
