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The Houthis Almost Shot Down an F-35—and Washington Is Panicked (nationalinterest.org)

submitted 1 week ago by yogthos@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmygrad.ml

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According to new reporting from the New York Times, a Houthi surface-to-air (SAM) missile barely missed an American F-35 fifth-generation fighter, the crown jewel of the U.S. fighter inventory. The F-35, participating in Operation Rough Rider against the Houthis, was forced to take evasive action to avoid the missile.

The incident raises questions about the survivability of one of America’s most advanced fighters, and raises concerns over how effective the relatively unsophisticated Houthi air defense system has been at hampering U.S. action.

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[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 24 points 1 week ago

Could have sworn we already declared victory over them

[–] OrnluWolfjarl@lemmygrad.ml 20 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

It's even worse than the headline.

The F35 is supposed to have stealth capabilities. That's partly why it costs so much.

Ansar Allah locked on the most technologically advanced stealth fighter the West has ever produced. And they did it with a 1970s AA radar made in the Soviet Union.

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 week ago

Indeed, stealth is the main selling point of the platform and if it doesn't work the whole thing is a joke.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 week ago

of course its mounted on the classic toyota truck

[–] darkernations@lemmygrad.ml 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Feels like only a matter of time. I wonder what moment would be so seminal that even the most ardent Western Exceptionalists can't ignore.

[–] PanArab@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What a difference 6 months make. The same outlet, published this back in Nov 2024:

The Houthis Are In ‘Panic Mode’: The F-35C Has Gone Into Battle

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 week ago

when propaganda meets reality

[–] Stalins_Spoon@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What is the point of Americans making ‘the most technologically advanced military aircraft’ if it keeps getting beat by 50yr old Soviet anti-aircraft missiles? Not the first time this happened either

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 week ago

If you have a better way to soak up billions of dollars of public funding and putting them back in the pockets of the oligarchs, I'd love to hear it.