A simulated attack run of U.S. F-35 destroys Russian anti-aircraft missile done in a virtual world. This mission investigates how successful an actual strike will fare in a real-world situation.
Will the Lightning II survive a strike into a deep soviet territory to deliver a surgical strike. Can its stealth defeat the S-400s radar?
US F-35 Destroys Russian Anti-Aircraft Missiles
The answer came in a computer simulation created by Lockheed Martin that simulated a deep strike mission to destroy the S-400 air defense systems. Based on the parameters of the program that ended with the Russian missiles getting destroyed. Most approximations have a high degree of success for long-range strikes, reported Defense News.
These systems are touted as stealth jet killers have yet to acquire actual F-35s stealth Lightning II data to verify if it can detect them. America's premier stealth jet is one of the most feared today that can defeat missile defenses.
Made by Russia, the S-400 surface-to-air missile (SAM) is at par with American technology. Advance SAM launchers that are mobile are threats to non-stealth aircraft.
American Lightning IIs and F-22 Raptors are the only stealth capable planes in full operation; Russia's SU-57 has been recently introduced. The S-400 is made to kill stealth jets that are nearly invisible to conventional radar. More emphasis on systems to take out American stealth jet due to the extreme danger they pose.
The simulation
A scenario was devised by the US F-35 that destroys Russian anti-aircraft missiles to show how the mission would progress in stages. In the mission are two lighting IIs that are carrying out a deep strike mission in Russian territory.
Also read: U.S. Navy's Weapons: F-35 Lightning and Super Hornet Adds Tactical Layers to Win
During the flight to the SAM sites, which are detected by the stealth jets systems, the location is sent back to the base. Next in the chain is the information given to the base that passed to a US-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is another weapon system similar to the U.S. Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family. The launcher system (M142 HIMARS) is used to fire missiles on enemy cannons and anti-aircraft missiles. Fired from it is the Patriot and THAAD used as anti-missile or anti-air defenses to kill enemy installations.
When the HIMARS has received the location and GPS of the S-400s, they are moved into position but in range of the missiles.
The missiles are advanced and next-generation that are fired to take out the Russian SAMS. The Lightning IIs are used to get target data for the HIMARS to fire accurately.
The Russian SAM defense is not welcome and forces changes in tactics to reduce American stealth jets' danger. Turkey, one of its sanctioned allies, bought the S-400 from Russian. It used to be part of the lightning IIs development program.
Pentagon officials distrust the purchase of Turkey in regards to the advanced Russian SAM system. One danger is a leak on NATO's defense systems that might endanger the Stealth lightning IIs unnecessarily. F-35s are essential components in the U.S. offensive in war.
Other nations are opting for the S-400 like India, but New Delhi is autonomous in foreign policy. The U.S. F-35 destroys Russian anti-aircraft missiles in a particular scenario, but the jet is still very capable when linked in a network.
Related article: Turkey Tests Russian-made S-400 Missiles, Violates NATO Treaty
