Israel, US, UK Hold First Joint F-35 Exercise

Exercise “Tri-Lightning” was a one-day defensive counter air exercise involving friendly and adversary aircraft from the three participating countries and consisted of active and passive air defense operations

Israel, US, UK Hold First Joint F-35 Exercise

Photo: IDF

F-35 stealth fighter jets from the United States, United Kingdom and Israel participated in a joint exercise over the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday.

The exercise took place during IAF week, marking 71 years since the establishment of the Israeli Air Force.

The drill, dubbed “Tri-Lightning,” was the first time in history that F-35 fighters from several air forces participated in a joint drill.

The exercise simulated survival scenarios and defense against varying threats from advanced aircraft, including the F-35 itself.

The IDF underscored that the exercise was pre-scheduled as part of the annual training graph and constitutes a unique opportunity for the joint training of the fifth-generation combat aircraft. Furthermore, the exercise enabled the cooperation between the air forces and the development of joint capabilities.

The Air Force maintains and continues to hold significant international training to strengthen future military cooperation, with an emphasis on advancing the F-35 capabilities, the IDF added.

IAF Chief of Air Staff Brig. Gen. Amnon Ein-Dar stated that the exercise was “the first international F-35 exercise, reflecting the close cooperation between the forces. International cooperation between Israel, the US and Britain reinforce common interests and new and exclusive capabilities in the Middle East.”

 

[Sources: Israeli Air Force, US Air Force, The Jewish Press, The Times of Israel]