F-35 in Operation Midnight Hammer: How American Stealth Fighters Destroyed Iran's Air Defense.

According to ТСН: The U.S. Air Force officially reported for the first time the use of fifth-generation F-35A fighters in Operation "Midnight Hammer", during which American forces struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

F-35 carried out tasks against Iran's air defense — none were detected

125 aircraft participated in this mission, including 7 B-2 bombers, which dropped 14 heavy bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs. The operation was formally recognized as successful; however, independent assessments indicate that the damage to Iran's nuclear program was less than expected.

F-35A fighters performed key tasks in the operation:

• suppressing Iran's air defense systems (SEAD)

• covering the strike group after the attack was completed

Colonel Charles Fallon, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, noted that during the operation, "all the capabilities of the F-35, which have been talked about for years, were confirmed," and the aircraft proved its importance "for today’s and tomorrow’s battles."

Iran used 'modern systems' — but none could hit the F-35

Commander of the 34th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Aaron Osborn confirmed that F-35s successfully destroyed SAM positions while Iranian forces attempted to take down the American "stealth fighters" using "very modern air defense systems."

However:

• no F-35 was hit,

• Iran failed to even get quality guidance systems,

• the stealth and EW capabilities of the F-35 completely disrupted air defense operations.

What exactly these "modern systems" were, the Americans did not specify, so the formulation was likely left vague.

Possible systems that could act against the F-35: the Bavar-373 version

In 2019, Iran presented its "mysterious" SAM Bavar-373, which, according to the Iranian side:

• has a range of 200-300 km,

• exceeds the capabilities of the S-400 (according to Tehran),

• is designed to combat stealthy targets.

However, there are no confirmations of the actual characteristics of the system, and the Operation "Midnight Hammer" confirms that Iranian claims may be exaggerated.

This military operation underscores the significant role of cutting-edge technology in modern military conflict. F-35A fighters, due to their unique capabilities, continue to be key assets for performing combat missions in the face of modern threats. Since their introduction, these aircraft have demonstrated not only technical superiority but also tactical flexibility in complex operational scenarios.