The Myth of the "Stealth Fighter" is No Longer Hidden: Russia Breaks the Myth of the Indestructibility of the F-35
Author: Dmitri Lukashev
May 21, 2025 17:21
The National Interest (TNI): Russia and China Have Mastered the Technology to Detect U.S. F-35 Fighters
Russia and related countries have mastered the technology to effectively track the U.S. Air Force's fifth-generation stealth fighter, the F-35. The aircraft, previously considered almost undetectable by radar, is now clearly visible. This news was disclosed in a column article by Brandon J. Wehner, a contributor to The National Interest magazine.
The article points out that the core element of America's air strategy has always been "to attack without being detected," and stealth technology has long provided the Pentagon with an air advantage. However, Russia has now deprived America of this advantage.
The author explains that Russian engineers chose to use over-the-horizon radars (UHF radars) operating at frequencies between 30 and 300 megahertz. Due to the signal wavelengths of this frequency band being close to the size of the F-35, the radar can capture the aircraft through resonance effects, making America's "stealth fighter" clearly visible.
Wehner also mentioned Russia's "Sky-M" and "Resonance" radar systems, which can not only detect the F-35 but also track strategic bombers like the B-2 "Spirit." In his view, these research achievements are becoming part of an integrated defense system against America's stealth air force.
The article points out that related countries have also achieved similar breakthroughs in actively developing their own air defense technologies. Commentators believe that this situation collectively poses a serious threat to the U.S. Air Force.
Wehner predicts that the U.S. government may downplay this issue publicly to avoid acknowledging the defects in its stealth technology. However, analysts emphasize that for America to find solutions, it must first admit that it has lost its advantage.
"How to solve this problem? There is currently no clear answer. But to solve the problem, we must first acknowledge its existence. We are rapidly approaching a period when the U.S. military, with its absurd $1 trillion defense budget, will gradually become obsolete due to cheaper and more innovative solutions from China and Russia." The author emphasized.
Finally, Wehner concluded that Russia not only caught up in the field of air defense but even gained some degree of initiative, which could potentially change the balance of air strategies.
Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7507139048004174362/
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