Overview
- U.S. Air Force officials on Nov. 25 detailed for the first time that F-35As suppressed air defenses, escorted B-2 bombers, and were the first in and last out of Iranian airspace during Operation Midnight Hammer.
- On June 22, the jets flew hundreds of miles into Iran, struck surface-to-air missile sites, and covered seven B-2s that dropped 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators as part of a 75-weapon attack on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
- Officials said no Iranian shots hit U.S. aircraft during the mission, and the units dispersed and prepared for retaliation before Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid Air Base the next day with no reported U.S. casualties.
- Commanders said the operation validated the F-35’s stealth, electronic warfare, and sensor-fusion capabilities, with the wider strike package also involving F-22s, F-15s, F-16s, tankers, and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
- During the same deployment, the 34th Fighter Squadron conducted Operation Rough Rider against Houthi targets and recorded the first F-35A air-to-air kills against one-way attack drones.