The F-35 Lightning II is already well known to be among the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft, but “Beast Mode” places airpower in a completely different league. Beast Mode is when the F-35 carries the largest internal and external inventory of weapons available—up to 22,000 pounds—at the expense of some stealth for pure firepower. This is not merely a technological feat, but a strategic effort of reimagining the way air forces project advantage in the skies and attack key targets.
By design, the F-35 carries its weapons internally in order to remain hard to detect on radar. Under tactical circumstances, however, pilots can access Beast Mode. External racks allow for additional Beast Mode-free bombs and missiles, which allows for the ability to engage more rapidly at a variety of targets. The cost, of course, is one of the larger radar signatures. But the payoff is superb—more firepower, more tactical maneuverability, and increased operational longevity.
Israel has implemented this idea better than most countries. The F-35I “Adir” is an adapted version of the F-35, which is designed to fight in a regional complex environment.
Israel incorporated local systems, substituting the conventional electronic warfare suite with high-end capabilities provided by Elbit Systems and ensuring a plug-and-play Israeli sensor and weapons interface. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems furnished the Adir with Python-5 air-to-air missiles, SPICE precision-guided bombs, and heavy penetrators, most of which can still be carried internally when stealth is a concern.
Israeli F-35Is have racked up over 15,000 flight hours since October 2023, patrolling Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and even penetrating deep into Iranian airspace. No other nation has experienced this broad spectrum of operational needs, providing Israel with unparalleled exposure in combat conditions.
The Israeli Air Force points out that the Adir is the sole F-35 variant to perform combat operations with externally carried payloads, bringing concepts lab-developed over many decades into proven operational capability. Israel recently joined with Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon in certifying external JDAM carriage, addressing urgent operational needs.
Beast Mode is used proportionally to threat levels. In low-threat areas such as Gaza, firepower is better than stealth. In medium-threat areas such as Lebanon, the mode is judiciously applied once threats through radar have been neutralized. In strongly defended areas such as Iran, Beast Mode can only be employed after enemy air defense has been knocked out, since the additional radar signal would otherwise give away the aircraft.
Israel also stresses networked operations. F-35I is an advanced sensor node, collecting data and passing on real-time data to F-15I “Ra’am” strike fighters. On recent missions, F-35Is led SEAD missions to destroy enemy air defenses, clearing the way for F-15Is to deliver heavier payloads. This coordination effectively doubles the combat effect of both planes, allowing long-range attacks at lower risk.
Its strategic worth is obvious. The F-35I contributes to the deterrent potential of Israel against high-risk targets and enables proactive behavior. Success achieved, such as disabling sophisticated S-300 radar systems, proves that it is capable of penetrating sophisticated air defenses and capturing the minds of military analysts examining extended combat operations and interoperability in joint force operations.
Prospects for Beast Mode are limitless. The possibilities of new munitions, such as the Stormbreaker tri-mode seeker bomb, Israeli missiles with increased range, extra air-to-air missiles to engage drones and cruise missiles, and conformal or drop tanks to achieve extended operational range without refueling, are all within reach.
In the end, Beast Mode is not a gimmick. It’s a revolutionary strategy that rewrites the book on air-to-air combat. Blending stealth, firepower, and networked situational awareness, Israel’s F-35I Adir rewrites fifth-generation fighters and sets the direction for the future of combat aviation.