http://lobelog.com/israel-cutting-edge-f-35-or-conventional-missiles/#more-34868

Israel: Cutting Edge F-35 or Conventional Missiles?

by Shemuel Meir
All the right phrases were said regarding the first F-35 aircraft delivered to Israel (designated “Adir” by the IDF) in an almost operatic rollout ceremony (22 June 2016): A new chapter in Israel’s military might and deterrent capability; the most advanced fifth-generation aircraft in the world; a stealth ghost plane that can pop up anywhere in the Middle East; the world’s best war machine; the sky is the limit; maintaining our qualitative edge; air superiority; practically hermetic protection of the country’s airspace.
For several days, we were treated to a concentrated dose of almost uniform descriptions of the fighter and its capabilities. The doubts raised about the performance of the F-35 in the Pentagon’s report (e.g. concerning its limited combat radius, the question whether it covered all of Iran’s territory, its limited armament carrying capability) were brought to our attention by economic rather than military analysts. The former naturally focused on the finances involved and the steep, wasteful costs.http://lobelog.com/israel-cutting-edge-f-35-or-conventional-missiles/#more-34868