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The United States has rolled out a nearly one-billion-dollar upgrade programme for its fifth-generation stealth fighter F-35 Lightning 2 fleet, primarily centred on electronic warfare modernisation and advanced combat capability enhancements across hundreds of aircraft operated by both the US military and other foreign operators of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
According to a US Department of War (DoW) contract announcement, Lockheed Martin has been awarded USD 991.1 million to produce and deliver 432 modification kits for F-35 fighter jets. The order includes 97 aircraft for the US Air Force, 54 for the US Marine Corps, 42 for the US Navy, 106 for Foreign Military Sales customers, and 133 for non-US partner nations participating in the programme. The upgrades are linked to the F-35's evolving Block 4 modernisation package, which has been described by Lockheed Martin as the "most significant evolution of F-35 capabilities to date". "Block 4 modernisation - over 70 major upgrades for all three F-35 variants - is the most significant evolution of F-35 capabilities to date, including increased missile capacity, advanced electronic warfare capabilities, improved target recognition and other, classified capabilities," Lockheed Martin said on the latest upgrades. The aerospace giant added that "Block 4 capability upgrades benefit all nations operating the F-35". The latest package is widely expected to include major improvements to sensor fusion systems, electronic warfare functions and survivability features designed for operations in heavily contested airspace. The F-35 currently relies on the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare suite (EWS), which was developed by BAE Systems. The addition of the modernisation kits will probably improve the capabilities of the existing system. The existing system provides radar warning, electronic attack, targeting support and countermeasure capabilities through a fully integrated architecture. BAE Systems describes the AN/ASQ-239 as "the world's most advanced, fully integrated electronic warfare (EW) and countermeasures technology". According to the company, the system provides "360-degree situational awareness" and helps pilots "identify, monitor, analyse, and respond to threats" while operating in signal-dense environments. "Always active, AN/ASQ-239 provides all-aspect, broadband protection to help the F-35 reach well-defended targets and suppress enemy radars," BAE Systems states. The company further said the suite delivers "radio frequency and infrared countermeasures and rapid response capabilities like no other aircraft." The electronic warfare modernisation push comes amid reports that F-35 fighter jets operating around the Strait of Hormuz have been squawking transponder code 7700, an internationally recognised emergency signal used by aircraft facing in-flight issues. Iran has also made prior claims to have downed F-35s, while at least one aircraft, as per Iranian claims, may have been grazed during the operations by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. Iranian state media reported on April 3 that an advanced air-defence system used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had struck and brought down a US F-35 fighter jet over central Iran. According to Iran's Press TV, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters had then claimed, saying, "A second US fifth-generation F-35 was struck and downed over central Iran by a new IRGC Aerospace Force air-defence system." The statement further claimed that the impact caused a "massive explosion" and that "the pilot is unlikely to have ejected". Iranian broadcaster IRIB also carried similar claims, alleging that the aircraft belonged to the Lakenheath squadron and was intercepted by a modern IRGC air-defence system. Earlier, a few days before the incident, Iran had claimed it became the first country to successfully strike an American F-35 stealth fighter during ongoing hostilities in the region. A CNN report later citing US defence officials stated that an F-35 fighter jet had performed an emergency landing after an Iranian surface-to-air missile barrage, with the pilot surviving the incident. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, told CNN that the aircraft "landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition". The F-35 Lightning II is still one of the most advanced and expensive fighter aircraft in the world, with a price tag of over 100 million dollars (depending on the specific variant), and is slowly becoming the backbone of US and allied fifth-generation air combat operations. The stealth fighter is in use or on the way to being inducted into service by over 19 countries. The electronic warfare retrofit that the US has now planned to implement is expected to continue till March 2032. (ANI)
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