S-300 VS. F-35: STEALTH AND INVINCIBLE ARE NOT EXACTLY SYNONYMS
…via Southfront
Written by Andrei Akulov; Originally appeared on strategic-culture.org
[ Editor’s Note: Israel has claimed that it will attack targets in Syria as it deems necessary. If the day ever comes when someone can do this to Israel, they might call it the Bibi Bombing Doctrine.
All Russia has said is that it intends to protect Russian forces, and train the Syrians to be combat effective with the S-300s which are not a major threat all by themselves. They have to be part of a fully integrated, total air superiority system.
That would involve the Russians having to disclose their best technology capability, which begs the question, do they want to reveal that when Russian forces are not being attacked, but say Iranians or Syrians.
Would the Russians hold back in revealing some of their best stuff, and let the Syrian missile command get hammered as a result? Nothing would be a bigger slap in the face to Russia than to have S-300 batteries destroyed by Israeli F-35 strikes, if that is possible.
The flip side to that scenario is that neither the US nor Israel would want to see F-35s being blasted out of the sky, or the PR boomerang that would ensue from that. So what we have here is a lot of shadow-boxing going on.
Will Israel test Russia before the 90-day training period for the Syrians is done? Would Russia not have trained Russians at the hands of all of those batteries so they could defend themselves with the multi-layered defense that is required?
We will not know the answers to these questions until Israel makes its next move, or a US pilot does flying an Israeli F-35, which would not be the first time that Americans flew Israeli combat missions.
Left out of the radar capabilities analysis below is that the top tier combat zone satellites can track a plane simply from the air turbulence wake it leaves, if the satellite is positioned correctly. This technology has been around for some time for those who can foot that hefty bill . . . Jim W. Dean ]
– First published … October 10, 2018 –
How effective is the S-300 PMU-2 “Favorit” that Russia has just delivered to Syria? Especially when employed against the F-35 stealth fighters that Israel intends to make more use of when attacking targets in Syria? Who has the edge?
This is truly a hot topic for the press right now. It would be better, of course, to avoid the military hostilities and leave this as a theoretical, unanswered question, because no definite answer is possible until a real shootout takes place.
Stealth technology includes both active and passive measures that reduce visibility and the chance of detection. Some of those are classified, as are the specifications and capabilities of the S-300. This makes it much more complicated to offer predictions or conclusions. But the known facts can be considered impartially and objectively.
Israeli officials play down the significance of the shipment of the S-300 to Syrian government forces.
“The operational abilities of the air force are such that those (S-300) batteries really do not constrain the air force’s abilities to act,” said Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s regional cooperation minister.
“You know that we have stealth fighters, the best planes in the world. These batteries are not even able to detect them.” Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in April that “if anyone attacks us, we will retaliate, regardless of S-300, S-700 or any anything else’s presence there”.
The Pentagon has also cast doubt on the S-300’s effectiveness.
Let’s give the devil his due. The F-35 is a fine example of low observable aircraft with extraordinary capabilities. It’s a formidable weapon, but so is the S-300. If the worst happens, Israel’s high-end F-35I Adir aircraft will be checkmated by this Russian-made, state-of-the-art air-defense system.
A stealth aircraft is not invincible. It has its strengths and weaknesses. In Syria, Israeli F-35s will be up against a tight, integrated air-defense network with multiple radars trying to detect and track the target from different directions.
Excessive use of stealth technology restricts the combat capabilities of an aircraft like the F-35. A plane based on stealth technology does not perform exceptionally well in combat. It cannot carry many weapons because everything is hidden inside the body. Its ability to remain invisible is reduced as soon as the radar is turned on. Low frequencies can detect a stealth aircraft. A bomb bay that has been opened to launch weapons will also give the plane away.
The S-300’s 48N6E2 missiles boast single-shot kill probability of 80% to 93% for an aerial target, 40% to 85% for cruise missiles. and 50% to 77% for theater ballistic missiles. The Russian system uses the 96L6 all-altitude detector and acquisition radar, which works in L-band. It has a 300 km range and enhanced resolution. The S-300 PMU-2 version can detect and track 100 targets. The radar is said to be able to detect stealth targets.
Large wavelength radiations are reflected by “invisible” aircraft. Radar that operates in the VHF, UHF, L and S bands can detect and even track the F-35 without transmitting weapons-quality track. It is true that no accurate targeting is possible, but at least you can tell where the plane is.
The S-300’s vertically launched missiles can be re-targeted during flight. The explosion is so powerful that no kinetic kill is needed. Multiple killing elements will strike targets throughout the vicinity.
The IAF F-35s still need to be integrated with other assets in order to enhance their chances of carrying out missions. Just to be on the safe side, they will probably be escorted by electronic warfare aircraft, which are not stealth, thus giving away their position and providing the enemy with enough time to take countermeasures.
Israel has only 12 F-35s, with 50 more arriving by 2024. The price tag for each is about $100 million. It’ll be a long time before they are in place and integrated into the Air Force. And twelve are simply not enough.
Besides, the aircraft still needs to be upgraded with the full operational capability of Block 3F and subsequent Block 4 software and hardware configurations.
Once the S-300s are operational, all other Israeli non-stealth planes will face huge risks any time they fly an offensive mission into Syria. It should also be taken into account that Russia will jam the radar, navigation, and communications systems on any aircraft attacking targets in Syria via the Mediterranean Sea, as Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned on Sept. 24, 2018.
Israel boasts a broad repertoire of standoff weapons, along with highly advanced electronic warfare systems and enhanced cyber capabilities. It also has very experienced and well trained personnel. Nevertheless, the S-300 in Syria is a deterrent to be reckoned with. Hopefully, the peace process in that war-torn country will move forward and there will be no escalation to provoke an S-300 vs. F-35 fight.
Jim W. Dean is VT Editor Emeritus. He was an active editor on VT from 2010-2022. He was involved in operations, development, and writing, plus an active schedule of TV and radio interviews. He now writes and posts periodically for VT.
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@ JohnZ, no pharmaceutical, psychotropic drug works. Like all allopathic drugs, it is intended to “relieve symptoms”. What it really does in covered in the fine print. In his home page, Dr. Peter Breggin explains his fifty years of experience as psychiatrist in one sentence, suggesting that such drugs cause rather than relieve “mental illness.” Microampere electronic devices work with stimulation when accurately used. Take the C.E.S. for example, that relieves PTSD symptoms after two weeks of 20 min/day.
– better yet crashing into the nuke-tipped, rocket storage area of the airbase to which it was assigned.
Putin is sharp, I think those S300’s were up and running, when the announcement came out that they had been delivered.
actions speak louder than words…..write all the articles in supposition you need but the answer is very simple….if israel believes it can operate with the -300 in play…they will…if they do not believe it they wont……but..do we really know how far Putin has agreed to allow Syria to be bombed?
remember….he was certainly not against any of it…till israel showed their true colors…and they did so BTW…knowing FULL WELL..they faced no retaliation…..again..write what you need..but..suppose it was Russia that was responsible for the downing of an israeli plane killing 15?
and that is the problem…you CAN NOT put a defense up…without total assurance in your belief that it will prevent all attacks..other wise it is just comedy!
Our western partners…. We do really don’t need any enemies with such partners! Instead of liberating Syria from the black terror plaque and restoring a normal life for Syrian peoples, we measure biceps….
Someone needs to call the bluff of Israel and see if the U.S. starts WWIII for them. “You might as well cooperate because we are going to kill you anyway.” This is their dictum to all challengers. Putin must be aggressive before they attack him. Turn Israeli nukes into ashes and see what happens. By the way there was an article yesterday that all these planes are now grounded due to one going down. Perhaps this would be a good time for Putin to attack. Israel did 9/11/01. How long are they going to be permitted to gang rape the U.S.? https://wikispooks.com/wiki/9-11/Israel_did_it
The United States is spread very thin today. WWII was a long time ago. The corrupt U.S. generals are having a difficult time keeping all the ants, roaches, rats, from disabling their fancy expensive technology. When was the last time any of it was tested? The United States may very well be a big bag of wind, a paper tiger. There is only one way to find out. Here’s betting they chicken out. How did they do on 9/11/01 “defending” the country? The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It is time the U.S. bluff was called too.
Watching porn is also likely a big problem for the U.S. Military today and likely why the recent Naval “accidents”. Even the top brass are likely sitting around watching it. America is bankrupt morally and fiscally. It is only a matter of time now. The financial system could crash at any instant without warning. When it does, all anarchy will prevail without a shot being fired.
This comment makes little sense..’The F-35 is a fine example of low observable aircraft with extraordinary capabilities’…never been tested in a hostile and communications compromised environment.
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