Recently, I read an article that reported the Israeli Air Force's F-35 aircraft were being altered by some Israeli IAF contractor to double the aircraft's range. I understand that one of the myriad complaints pertaining to the F-35's combat utility is that its range is abnormally short compared with current USAF strike and fighter aircraft.

How is such a remarkable enhancement possible? If it's something as obvious as external fuel tanks, wouldn't this eliminate "stealth" dimension and destroy the main claimed advantage of F-35s compared with F-15, F-16, and FA-18 series' aircraft?

If fuel is stored internally to maintain its stealth, what happens to the F-35's already suspect paucity of armament when compared with USAF's existing first line aircraft?

OR are the Israelis creating an artificial enhancement that does not exist merely to overawe their enemies?

How far is it from Tel Aviv to Tehran and back to the tanker? They're just looking at future possibilities, or necessities.

quote:

Originally posted by Naphtali:
If it's something as obvious as external fuel tanks, wouldn't this eliminate "stealth" dimension and destroy the main claimed advantage of F-35s compared with F-15, F-16, and FA-18 series' aircraft?

External tanks would mostly be a problem when in unfriendly territory.

Depending on the distance of the mission -- and whether they are flying over mostly friendly or unfriendly territory
will determine how advantageous or dis-advantageous externals tanks would be.
If ones particular objective/mission is proving successful, you may end up controlling more of the ground and airspace of your enemy,
thus detectability of the F35s external tanks can become less of a concern.


additionally, Israel believes that in time, they will be successful in developing external tanks with stealth capability.

Israel has F 35s ? Major political Brew Ha here about "maybe' getting some in the distant future. But Hey, it's Canada.

Grizz

http://www.globes.co.il/en/art...h-fighter-1001068513

Apparently the approach is to have external tanks to use when flying in controlled (safe) airspace then the tanks are jettisoned before flying into hostile territory.