Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate as Iran mocked the United States over reports surrounding a downed F-35 fighter jet during the ongoing conflict. Iranian officials and state-linked media claimed the stealth aircraft was struck by Iranian air defences, while questions remain over the extent of damage and Washington’s response.

US-Iran War: Iran Taunts US on Admission of Downed F-35 Jet 

A clash between the F-35 and China's J-20 hinges on radar physics. While the J-20's frontal stealth deflects the F-35's advanced AESA radar, US pilots will rely on passive infrared sensors to track the Chinese jet's engine heat at compressed ranges.


‘Radar blind spot’: Can the F-35’s advanced radars see China’s J-20 fighter jet coming?

The Defence Ministry of Israel has announced on Sunday (May 3) that it has approved a multi-billion-dollar deal of F-35 multi-role stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin and F-15IA warplanes from Boeing to strengthen air superiority amid ongoing tensions in the region.

Inside F-15IA: What makes Israel’s new fighter jets unique? Know capacity, speed & range

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it struck a U.S. F‑35 fighter jet over Iranian airspace, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at a U.S. base in the Middle East. The incident -a potential first in the current conflict - is under investigation as tensions continue to escalate.


Iran War: American Air Power Faces New Threat; 16 US Aircraft Have Been Lost

At the centre of the deployment is the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The 1,32,000 tons US Navy hardware is steaming towards the Middle east. 

F-15s, warships and USS Abraham Lincoln: What military assets has US deployed as Iran tensions rise?

The U.S. Pentagon has stopped accepting new F-35 jets after it discovered a magnet used in the stealthy fighter's engine was made with unauthorized material from China. Eric Njoka tells you more.

WION Fineprint | US military halts F-35 jet deliveries over use of Chinese alloy

Turkey plans to have its local-made fighter jet ready for flight in the next five to six years, President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-he-told-trump-turkey-will-not-give-up-russian-s-400s-263168">Tayyip Erdogan</a> said on Tuesday, amid an ongoing dispute with the United States over the purchase of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-may-suspend-training-of-turkish-pilots-for-f-35-jets-over-russia-missile-deal-222455">F-35 jets</a>.

Erdogan also said Turkey would invest in a facility that would allow the charging and filling of the detonators produced by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lockheed-signs-pact-with-tata-to-make-f-16-planes-in-india-17014">F-16s</a> and armed unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

Turkey plans to have its local-made fighter jet ready for flight in the next five to six years, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, amid an ongoing dispute with the United States over the purchase of F-35 jets.

Turkey plans to have its local-made fighter jet ready for flight in the next five to six years, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, amid an ongoing dispute with the United States over the purchase of F-35 jets. Erdogan also said Turkey would invest in a facility that would allow the charging and filling of the detonators produced by F-16s and armed unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.

Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey aims to have its own fighter jet in 5-6 years

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Israel's fighter jets "can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-has-discussed-iran-nuclear-standoff-with-macron-white-house-234187">Iran</a>," in his latest comments directed at his country's arch-foe.

While visiting an air force base where he inspected F-35 jets made by US firm Lockheed Martin, Netanyahu issued a video with one of the planes behind him.

"Recently, Iran has been threatening the destruction of Israel," he said at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel.

"It would do well to remember that these planes can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran and certainly Syria."

Netanyahu has issued a series of statements against Iran in recent weeks.

They follow the Islamic republic's decision to begin breaching some commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and attacks in the Gulf that Israel and the United States blame on Iran.

On Sunday, Netanyahu called an announcement by Iran that it would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-uranium-enrichment-passes-45-exceeding-deal-cap-234015">exceed the uranium enrichment cap</a> set by the troubled accord a "very dangerous step".

He urged European countries to sanction Iran in response.

On Monday, Iran breached the enrichment cap as it seeks to press other parties into keeping their side of the bargain under the nuclear deal.

Netanyahu opposed the accord and urged US President Donald Trump to withdraw from it, which he eventually did.

Despite having opposed the deal, Netanyahu is now calling on European nations to enforce its parameters as he and the United States seek to further pressure Iran.

Israel has also carried out hundreds of strikes in neighbouring Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah military targets.

It has vowed to keep Iran, which has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, from entrenching itself militarily there.

In May 2018, Israel's military said it had become the first country to use F-35s in combat.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Israel's fighter jets "can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran," in his latest comments directed at his country's arch-foe.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tuesday that Israel's fighter jets "can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran," in his latest comments directed at his country's arch-foe. While visiting an air force base where he inspected F-35 jets made by US firm Lockheed Martin, Netanyahu issued a video with one of the planes behind him. "Recently, Iran has been threatening the destruction of Israel," he said at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel. "It would do well to remember that these planes can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran and certainly Syria." Netanyahu has issued a series of statements against Iran in recent weeks. They follow the Islamic republic's decision to begin breaching some commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and attacks in the Gulf that Israel and the United States blame on Iran. On Sunday, Netanyahu called an announcement by Iran that it would exceed the uranium enrichment cap set by the troubled accord a "very dangerous step". He urged European countries to sanction Iran in response. On Monday, Iran breached the enrichment cap as it seeks to press other parties into keeping their side of the bargain under the nuclear deal. Netanyahu opposed the accord and urged US President Donald Trump to withdraw from it, which he eventually did. Despite having opposed the deal, Netanyahu is now calling on European nations to enforce its parameters as he and the United States seek to further pressure Iran. Israel has also carried out hundreds of strikes in neighbouring Syria against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah military targets. It has vowed to keep Iran, which has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, from entrenching itself militarily there. In May 2018, Israel's military said it had become the first country to use F-35s in combat.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu warns Israel's jets 'can reach' Iran

The United States could soon freeze preparations for delivering F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, officials told Reuters, in what would be the strongest signal yet by Washington that Ankara cannot have both the advanced aircraft and Russia's S-400 air defence system.

The United States is nearing an inflection point in a years-long standoff with Turkey, a NATO ally, after so far failing to sway President Tayyip Erdogan that buying a Russian air defence system would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft.

"The S-400 is a computer. The F-35 is a computer. You don't hook your computer to your adversary's computer and that's basically what we would be doing," Katie Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, told Reuters.

While no decision has been made yet, US officials confirmed that Washington was considering halting steps now underway to ready Turkey to receive the F-35, which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

"There (are) decisions that come up constantly about things being delivered in anticipation of them eventually taking custody of the planes," said Wheelbarger.

"So there's a lot of things in train that can be paused to send signals to them (that we're serious)," she added, without detailing those steps.

However, another US official said one of the measures the United States was looking at was alternatives to an engine depot in Turkey, without giving more details. The official said any potential alternatives would likely be somewhere in Western Europe. Turkey is home to an F-35 engine overhaul depot in the western city of Eskisehir.

Asked about the Reuters report, the top US military officer said on Thursday he was hopeful that Washington would find a way to resolve the dispute with Turkey over the S-400 but cautioned: "It is a tough issue."

"Both the executive branch of our government and legislative branch of our government are going to have a hard time reconciling the presence of the S-400 and the most advanced fighter aircraft that we have, the F-35," General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during an event.

If Turkey was removed from the F-35 program, it would be the most serious crisis in the relationship between the two allies in decades, according to Bulent Aliriza, director of the Turkey project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The strains on ties between Washington and Ankara already extend beyond the F-35 to include strategy in Syria, Iran sanctions and the detention of US consular staff.

"This (the F-35 standoff) is really a symptom, not a cause of the problem between the two countries," Aliriza said.

Many US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, worry that Turkey is drifting away from NATO and watch improving relations between Ankara and Moscow with concern. The prospect of Russian contractors or officials on Turkish bases that also are home to the F-35 is unfathomable to many US officials.

The tensions could further escalate. If Ankara goes ahead with the Russian deal, Turkey also could face US sanctions.

A Turkish foreign ministry official said on Thursday that Ankara's position had not changed. "Our position on this matter is evident," the official said.

Erdogan impasse

Despite US hopes that Turkey may still forgo the S-400, experts say Erdogan may have already backed himself into a rhetorical corner. He has repeatedly said he would not reverse course on the S-400, saying earlier in March: "Nobody should ask us to lick up what we spat."

A decision to drop Turkey from the F-35 program would have broader repercussions, since Ankara helps manufacture parts for the aircraft, including components of the landing gear, cockpit displays and aircraft engines.

Wheelbarger acknowledged that the Pentagon, in light of the standoff, was looking "across the board" at potential alternate suppliers for F-35 parts, including in other NATO countries.

"It's prudent program planning...to ensure that you have stability in your supply chain," she said, without speculating that Turkey might be dropped from the program.

Washington has sought to persuade Turkey to purchase the American-made Raytheon Co Patriot defence system, instead of S-400s. Erdogan has said that Turkey was still open to buying Patriot systems from the United States but only if the conditions are suitable.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said that in addition to the Patriot air defence system, the American offer "includes significant government-to-government cooperation on advanced system development."

Although Turkey has held out the prospect of buying both the S-400 and the Patriot system, the United States has warned Turkey it will take its offer of Patriots off the table unless it changes course.

A Turkish S-400 purchase could also trigger a fight with the US Congress, which has already blocked all major arms sales to Ankara while the S-400 deal is pending.

Lawmakers could renew attempts to introduce legislation that would legally prohibit the Trump administration from allowing Turkey to have the F-35 if it secures the S-400s.

Fears over renewed tensions with Washington reversed some of the Turkish lira's overnight gains. The currency had firmed to 5.4160 against the dollar late on Wednesday after a US&nbsp;Federal Reserve policy decision, but it eased back to 5.4553 on Thursday due in part to the Reuters report, analysts said.

The United States could soon freeze preparations for delivering F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, officials told Reuters, in what would be the strongest signal yet by Washington that Ankara cannot have both the advanced aircraft and Russia's S-400 air defence system.

The United States could soon freeze preparations for delivering F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, officials told Reuters, in what would be the strongest signal yet by Washington that Ankara cannot have both the advanced aircraft and Russia's S-400 air defence system. The United States is nearing an inflection point in a years-long standoff with Turkey, a NATO ally, after so far failing to sway President Tayyip Erdogan that buying a Russian air defence system would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft. "The S-400 is a computer. The F-35 is a computer. You don't hook your computer to your adversary's computer and that's basically what we would be doing," Katie Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, told Reuters. While no decision has been made yet, US officials confirmed that Washington was considering halting steps now underway to ready Turkey to receive the F-35, which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. "There (are) decisions that come up constantly about things being delivered in anticipation of them eventually taking custody of the planes," said Wheelbarger. "So there's a lot of things in train that can be paused to send signals to them (that we're serious)," she added, without detailing those steps. However, another US official said one of the measures the United States was looking at was alternatives to an engine depot in Turkey, without giving more details. The official said any potential alternatives would likely be somewhere in Western Europe. Turkey is home to an F-35 engine overhaul depot in the western city of Eskisehir. Asked about the Reuters report, the top US military officer said on Thursday he was hopeful that Washington would find a way to resolve the dispute with Turkey over the S-400 but cautioned: "It is a tough issue." "Both the executive branch of our government and legislative branch of our government are going to have a hard time reconciling the presence of the S-400 and the most advanced fighter aircraft that we have, the F-35," General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during an event. If Turkey was removed from the F-35 program, it would be the most serious crisis in the relationship between the two allies in decades, according to Bulent Aliriza, director of the Turkey project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The strains on ties between Washington and Ankara already extend beyond the F-35 to include strategy in Syria, Iran sanctions and the detention of US consular staff. "This (the F-35 standoff) is really a symptom, not a cause of the problem between the two countries," Aliriza said. Many US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, worry that Turkey is drifting away from NATO and watch improving relations between Ankara and Moscow with concern. The prospect of Russian contractors or officials on Turkish bases that also are home to the F-35 is unfathomable to many US officials. The tensions could further escalate. If Ankara goes ahead with the Russian deal, Turkey also could face US sanctions. A Turkish foreign ministry official said on Thursday that Ankara's position had not changed. "Our position on this matter is evident," the official said. Erdogan impasse Despite US hopes that Turkey may still forgo the S-400, experts say Erdogan may have already backed himself into a rhetorical corner. He has repeatedly said he would not reverse course on the S-400, saying earlier in March: "Nobody should ask us to lick up what we spat." A decision to drop Turkey from the F-35 program would have broader repercussions, since Ankara helps manufacture parts for the aircraft, including components of the landing gear, cockpit displays and aircraft engines. Wheelbarger acknowledged that the Pentagon, in light of the standoff, was looking "across the board" at potential alternate suppliers for F-35 parts, including in other NATO countries. "It's prudent program planning...to ensure that you have stability in your supply chain," she said, without speculating that Turkey might be dropped from the program. Washington has sought to persuade Turkey to purchase the American-made Raytheon Co Patriot defence system, instead of S-400s. Erdogan has said that Turkey was still open to buying Patriot systems from the United States but only if the conditions are suitable. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said that in addition to the Patriot air defence system, the American offer "includes significant government-to-government cooperation on advanced system development." Although Turkey has held out the prospect of buying both the S-400 and the Patriot system, the United States has warned Turkey it will take its offer of Patriots off the table unless it changes course. A Turkish S-400 purchase could also trigger a fight with the US Congress, which has already blocked all major arms sales to Ankara while the S-400 deal is pending. Lawmakers could renew attempts to introduce legislation that would legally prohibit the Trump administration from allowing Turkey to have the F-35 if it secures the S-400s. Fears over renewed tensions with Washington reversed some of the Turkish lira's overnight gains. The currency had firmed to 5.4160 against the dollar late on Wednesday after a US Federal Reserve policy decision, but it eased back to 5.4553 on Thursday due in part to the Reuters report, analysts said.

May soon pause preparations for delivering F-35 jets to Turkey: US official

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US-Iran War: Iran Taunts US on Admission of Downed F-35 Jet

Radar blind spot: Why the F-35 might struggle to see China’s J-20

Inside F-15IA: What makes Israel’s new fighter jets unique?

Iran War: American Air Power Faces New Threat; 16 US Aircraft Have Been Lost

F-15s, warships & USS Abraham Lincoln: What forces has US moved to Middle East?

WION Fineprint | US military halts F-35 jet deliveries over use of Chinese alloy

Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey aims to have its own fighter jet in 5-6 years

PM Benjamin Netanyahu warns Israel's jets 'can reach' Iran

May soon pause preparations for delivering F-35 jets to Turkey: US official