A few guns redefining the game have been the F-35 Lightning II. It is more than an attention-grabbing, high-tech attack aircraft. The F-35 has revolutionized the way air power is presented in the world and is now part of how the air force is utilized. The plane was first deployed for combat in the Middle East, a region historically at the cutting edge of weapons technology. Israel became the first country to deploy the specially adapted F-35I “Adir” variant into combat service in 2018. Although the missions were not disclosed, Iranian troops and Syrian proxy troops are generally suspected of being among their targets.
Subsequent photos revealed the aircraft departing at sunrise from Beirut—a conservative, but unmistakable whisper of potential. Israel has been using its F-35s in routine large operations ever since, including salvos of strikes within the intense 2024 escalation against Iran. Israeli pilots flew the aircraft in so-called “beast mode” in some instances—equipped with externally carried ordnance for top payload, only available when stealth is not an issue.
All models of the F-35 have been placed within the theater by the Americans. F-16s and F-35s were hit with surface-to-air missiles in Operation Rough Rider, an operation against Houthi fighters in Yemen. But US Marine Corps F-35Bs and US Navy F-35Cs were employed to carry out missions like shoot-downs of drones and bombing. These deployments proved the utility of the jet—fighter, but also an advanced platform for electronic intelligence collection and supporting broader operations in challenging terrain.
Subsequent controversy over the sale of the F-35 to the United Arab Emirates ensued. Post-Abraham Accords, what had appeared impossible became a tangible reality. The prospect of UAE pilots operating stealth fighters was a tremendous strategic draw, particularly because the United States was pulling back some of its presence in the Middle East, and Iran’s power was continuing to expand. But how to balance this step with holding out for requiring Israel’s qualitative military superiority—a fundamental U.S. policy—was complicated. Solutions were bandied about: the UAE could receive an early, less sophisticated model, or Israel could receive more assistance in return. But the F-35’s heavy reliance on US software and supply chains guarantees that no purchaser can go it alone—a structural guarantor of Washington confidence as much as Jerusalem’s.
On the continent, the F-35 is remaking Europe. Russia once enjoyed what appeared to be an air superiority monopoly along the eastern periphery of NATO’s border, only a few years ago. It all appears different now. Thirteen nations, some on Russia’s doorstep, purchased or received F-35s. Poland, Finland, and Norway are creating a stealth-capable network of forces that builds a solid umbrella to cover the face of NATO. The F-35’s capacity to jam rival radars, gather battlefield information in real time, and facilitate nuclear delivery provides European defenses with chilling teeth. Its deployment with NATO air policing operations in the Baltic drove that home: the alliance is betting both on deterrence and on striking back when attacked.
The Indo-Pacific, meanwhile, is quickly gearing up as a second platform on which the F-35 is paying its way. Japan is gradually increasing its fleet, with over 100 F-35As and dozens of F-35Bs set for deployment. Sea of Japan-coast airbases such as Komatsu are already forward-deploying these jets, enhancing the country’s defense against Russia and North Korea. The F-35’s stealth capabilities, sensors, and rapid reaction time make it the perfect plane to protect disputed territories such as the Senkaku Islands. Above all, it forms a military alliance between the U.S. and Japan through shared training, operations, and even carrier deployment. In an increasingly volatile region, the F-35 not only protects airspace but serves as an exhibition of devotion and shared security interests.
But selling the F-35 is never a simple choice. Each sale has geopolitical consequences. The US is always balancing the value of equipping allies against allowing sensitive technology to spread too far and thereby posing a threat. Wealthier nations like the UAE can afford the hefty price, but others have to make do with foreign military assistance or loans. And then there is the domino effect: if one country has it, neighboring countries want it as well. And the outsiders can turn elsewhere—Russia’s Su-35, say, claimed to fuel regional arms races and switch allegiance.
Enemies have noticed. Russia, more deeply embedded in Iran than at any time in the past, has begun to arm Tehran—limited numbers of Su-35 fighter aircraft and new radar. These technologies are not on the same level as the F-35, but they do represent an attempt to reshape regional balance, albeit a limited one.
Pakistan and Egypt are in, although the world’s power here is not yet. The great leap is in drone technology, with best-of-breed drones transforming the face of future air combat. While such competition runs hot and sour, it is clear that future battlefields will no longer be devoid of fighter jets, but also feature smart machines that can fly and fire without a human hand resting on their controls.
Beyond that, what truly makes the F-35 special is not its advanced gadgetry or camouflage paint scheme. Its true superpower is how it unites militaries. It’s a common language for allies—a fighter that can communicate with other aircraft, fight on more than one platform, and do anything on any type of mission.
That degree of integration is not typical at all, and it’s combining and enhancing combined operations to never-before-seen heights. The Norwegian Joint Strike Missile integration onto the F-35 platform, says U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, will provide allies and NATO with more capable naval strike capabilities. In an age when threats are remaking themselves internationally at a rapid pace and coalitions are more essential than ever, the F-35 is revolutionizing more than air combat. It’s establishing the benchmark for who rules, who intimidates, and ultimately who calls the shots in this new era of strategic competition.