Iran’s claim of hitting a US F-35 Lightning II remains unverified, but the confirmed emergency landing of the stealth jet after suspected Iranian fire has raised fresh questions. Even the possibility of such an engagement challenges the perception of the F-35's near-invincibility.

Iran has claimed that its air defence forces struck a US F-35 fighter jet inside its airspace, causing serious damage to the stealth aircraft. The IRGC says the attack followed the interception of more than 125 American and Israeli drones.

The F-22 & F-35s system differences reflect the different time periods they were developed as well as different mission sets.

A US F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet was purportedly damaged during a combat mission over Iran and was forced to make an emergency landing at a US base in the region.

The Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II is widely thought to be one of the most advanced fighter jets currently in existence. Across its three main variants — the F-35A, the F-35B, and the F-35C (U.S Navy) — the U.S. military alone operates more than 600 ...

China's top fighter is considered to be the Chengdu J-20 'Mighty Dragon. Compared to the F-35 Lightning II, it is a much larger and more intimidating-looking fighter jet. The huge fighter is believed to be a fifth-generation jet in terms of its systems and capabilities,

The F-35 will also serve as a test bed for technologies that will become commonplace in the next generation of jets. Flying in coordination with AI-enabled drones will become a staple of any sixth-generation fighter, and those new fighter tricks will likely first arrive in the form of the F-35.

The F-35’s AI is not equipped to operate the plane’s weapons systems, or to make other important decisions that must be left up to the pilot. As part of “Project Overwatch,” Lockheed Martin has tested AI model integration into the F-35 mission system.