Iran’s Advanced Air Defense Capabilities Challenge US Military Superiority, Analyst States
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Abdel Bari Atwan, a leading regional strategic analyst, has written that the threat issued by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, against hostile American F-35 stealth aircraft signifies Iran‘s possessiveness of air defense missile capabilities sufficient to bring down such sophisticated aircraft. Atwan’s commentary, published in a recent article, suggests that Iran has consistently unveiled new weaponry and missiles during its engagements with the U.S. and Israel over the past seven months, leaving American and Israeli forces confounded.
Atwan further noted that the U.S. Department of Defense has been significantly surprised by Iran’s air defense systems, which have reportedly downed nearly 46 American aircraft, including several stealth models that are notoriously difficult to track and intercept. This tally includes approximately 10 advanced F-15 attack jets, about 12 support aircraft (tankers), and notably, 30 MQ-9 drones. An AWACS aircraft, valued at $400 million due to its advanced radar equipment, was also reportedly targeted.
The analyst pointed out that the delivery of the first F-35 stealth fighter to the Royal Saudi Air Force, as per contract, is slated for five years after the agreement’s signing. Atwan contends that this timeframe will witness substantial political and military shifts in the Middle East, potentially including the withdrawal of U.S. forces or the abandonment of American bases in the region, a scenario he links to the near-certain destruction of or forced retreat by American assets.
While acknowledging the U.S. as a superpower with the world’s largest military arsenal prior to its actions against Iran, Atwan stated that this perception has altered. He cited the success of Iranian hypersonic ballistic missiles in destroying numerous military bases across the region as a primary indicator of this shift. He further referenced remarks by retired U.S. Navy General John Cordle, who told Military Times that the destruction of the U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain base by Iranian missiles specifically targeting the Fifth Fleet is equivalent to the loss of an American aircraft carrier.
Atwan elaborated that the construction of these bases in Arab nations has cost the U.S. Treasury hundreds of billions of dollars. While Persian Gulf nations have contributed to these expenses, their rapid and facile destruction represents a significant blow to the U.S. military’s prestige and authority globally. The article concluded by emphasizing that the Iran-led Axis of Resistance has previously dismantled the myth of Patriot missiles and is now depleting the missile and ammunition stockpiles of American and Israeli forces through the downing of stealth aircraft with advanced ordnance. Therefore, Atwan suggests, Ghalibaf’s assertion that a new era has begun where F-15 and F-35 stealth aircraft are hunted should be taken seriously.
