F-35I Adir

Israel's uniquely modified F-35A Lightning II — the world's most combat-tested fifth-generation fighter, spearhead of the Israeli Air Force's long-range strike campaigns against Iran, and the only F-35 variant with sovereign C4/EW and weapons integration rights.

Overview

The F-35I Adir (Hebrew for "Mighty One") is the Israeli-specific variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, tailored with an indigenous command, control, communications, and electronic warfare overlay, sovereign mission-data generation, and the ability to carry Israeli-designed weapons. Operated exclusively by the Israeli Air Force from Nevatim Air Base, the Adir has become the single most battle-proven fifth-generation fighter in the world, seeing sustained combat from May 2018 through the 2026 Iran war while recording multiple "firsts" for the F-35 enterprise — including first air-to-air kills, first cruise-missile interception, and first crewed aircraft shoot-down.

Development

Israel secured unique modification rights for the F-35 through a series of procurement agreements beginning in 2010, when it signed to purchase 19 aircraft and later expanded to 50, as documented by Wikipedia's Israeli procurement overview. Unlike every other F-35 customer, Israel negotiated the insertion of an Israeli-developed C4 and electronic warfare suite from Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, sovereign mission-data files, and the right to integrate indigenous weapons — a package that gave the Adir its distinct operational character. The deal also included industrial participation: Elbit provided the helmet-mounted display systems, and IAI produced wing skins.

The first two Adir jets touched down at Nevatim on 12 December 2016, and the IAF declared the type operational on 6 December 2017. In July 2023, Israel approved a $3 billion purchase of a third squadron — 25 additional aircraft — financed through U.S. military aid, with deliveries slated to begin around 2027–2028, according to The Aviationist and The Times of Israel. The original 50-aircraft fleet was completed by early 2026, and in May 2026 the Israeli defense ministry approved a further squadron to push the total toward 100 Adirs, alongside a parallel buy of F-15IA advanced fighters, as reported by The War Zone.

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