During the day yesterday, March 4, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) confirmed the downing of one of the Iranian Yak-130 advanced trainer and attack aircraft as part of Operation Roaring Lion — the Israeli designation for Operation Epic Fury carried out together with the United States. The downing of the Iranian Air Force aircraft, one of the most modern in its inventory and transferred by Russia months earlier, was attributed to one of the stealth F-35I Adir fighters. It marks the first time since its entry into service with the IAF that the aircraft has achieved an air-to-air kill against a crewed aircraft.
Following the incident, during today’s developments, and as the Israel Defense Forces continue reporting attacks and targets struck in the ongoing air campaign, official accounts released footage showing the sequence of the Yak-130 being shot down by the F-35I.
Although no major details of the maneuver can be clearly observed, the shootdown would have been carried out through the use of air-to-air weaponry that a fifth-generation aircraft can carry, presumably short-range AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles or, alternatively, longer-range AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.
At the same time, thanks to the viral spread of the footage, it is possible to confirm the use and tracking capability of the target designation and acquisition system equipped on the F-35. More specifically, the so-called Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), located on the lower section of the stealth fighter’s nose.
According to Lockheed Martin, this system provides the fifth-generation combat aircraft with “…precision air-to-air and air-to-surface targeting capability,” adding that, regarding its design, “…with low aerodynamic drag and a stealthy configuration, it is integrated into the fuselage of the F-35 Lightning II through a durable sapphire window and is connected to the aircraft’s integrated central computer through a high-speed fiber-optic interface.”
It should also be noted that this system combines forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and infrared search and track (IRST) capabilities, a feature that, given the emergence of more stealth fighters from rival powers, has already become essential for new-generation aircraft.
Returning to yesterday’s episode, the downing of the Yak-130 occurred in northeastern Tehran, according to open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources, which relied on geolocation tools.
Finally, regarding the disparity of forces between the stealth fighter and the training aircraft, it should be emphasized that the Yak-130, supplied by Russia, is one of the most advanced aircraft in service with the Iranian Air Force. In addition to serving as an advanced trainer, it also possesses air-to-air and air-to-ground attack capabilities that cannot be overlooked when considering it a valid military target.
Although the acquisition of this aircraft was surrounded by secrecy, by the end of 2024 it was confirmed that Iran had received the last aircraft supplied by Russia. Various sources have indicated that the Iranian Air Force had, prior to the start of Operation Epic Fury, an estimated fleet of twelve Yak-130 aircraft intended for the training of military aviators.
This was not a minor detail, as before the start of the conflict Iran had been advancing efforts to modernize its air capabilities through the incorporation of new platforms from Russia, among which stands out the planned acquisition of Sukhoi Su-35S fighters intended to replace the U.S.-origin F-14 Tomcat fighters.
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