Six of the newest aircraft in the Israel Air Force are in Italy this week to drill together with those from the United States and the United Kingdom in the “Falcon Strike 2021” military exercise, which is taking place between June 6 and June 17.
It’s the first time the F-35 has been flown in a drill outside of Israel. The exercise begins this Monday, with aircraft flying over Italian territory and over the Mediterranean Sea.
Israeli (IAF) F-35A stealth fighter jets are in Italy this week to participate in a large-scale exercise with RAF & USMC F-35Bs from , Italian F-35A & F-35B fighters & USAF F-16s. It's first time IAF F-35s have deployed outside Israel for training. Photos thanks to IAF pic.twitter.com/gaCWNDZcZ8
— John Neilson (@flyingjok)
It’s the furthest from Israel that IAF fighter pilots have flown in joint military drills with the nation’s partners – and closer than ever to Israel’s most dangerous enemy, Iran.
US F-16 combat jets are taking part in the drill. In addition to F-35s, Israel sent one IAF Gulfstream “Eitam” reconnaissance plane and two IAF Boeing “Re’em” refueler aircraft.
Britain has sent a British Voyager A330 refueling aircraft, as well as the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
From the Italian Air Force, a KC767 refueling aircraft, a KC130J refueling plane and a Gulfstream reconnaissance plane is participating as the blue team – opposite the red team comprised of Italian Eurofighter Typhoons, AMX International fighter jets, Panavia Tornadoes, Predator drones and Bel Augusta helicopters.
According to a senior Israeli Air Force officer who spoke with media Sunday on condition of anonymity, the exercise, intended to prepare Israel’s fighter pilots for using the F-35 in battle against Iran, will include the use of a large number of surface-to-air missile batteries to create an “atmosphere full of threats.”
“Iran is in our crosshairs,” the senior IAF officer said.
Israeli F-35s will be flying two sorties daily – one with the US Air Force aircraft and a second with British and Italian pilots.
The drill will involve air strikes on targets behind enemy lines and ground support missions, as well as aerial dogfights, all of which is aimed at improving the capabilities of the F-35 fleet as well as Israeli pilots’ abilities to operate with foreign military partners.
At present, there are 27 F-35 aircraft in the Israeli Air Force, with another 23 expected to arrive by 2024, completing Israel’s current order for 50 of the stealth fighters.