Russian disinformation targets F‑35's Arctic capabilities
According to the defenseromania portal, Russian disinformation about F-35 fighters has reached an unprecedented level, even surprising the Americans. Following a recent crash of this type of aircraft in Alaska, Russian propagandists began spreading false claims that the F-35 can't handle harsh weather conditions.
On January 29, an F-35 fighter belonging to the U.S. Air Force crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The defenseromania portal highlights publications in American media that emphasize there is not the slightest evidence of a connection between the fighter crash and Arctic weather conditions.
Lt. Col. Łukasz Treder, from the team responsible for integrating the F-35 into the Polish Armed Forces, also addressed the incident. He advised waiting for the Americans' final findings, emphasizing that the disclosed information indicates that the pilot reported an emergency situation during the flight.
How Russians are writing about the F-35 crash
The Russian agency TASS quotes local experts who claim that "American F-35s tend to fail, and the recent incident illustrates the operational capabilities of the world's most expensive aircraft in the Arctic."
However, American journalists from "The National Interest" emphasize that numerous F-35 missions have been conducted in extreme weather conditions. This type of aircraft has been operated for many years by the U.S. Air Force and several other NATO countries.
The F-35 operated in challenging conditions
Over 50 F-35 fighters have been stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska since 2022. Since 2017, Norway has been operating its F-35s at the Ørland Air Base. The Finnish Air Force has also decided to introduce fighters produced by Lockheed Martin, systematically demonstrating, for example, during the Baana exercises with the participation of British F-35s, that NATO fighters can efficiently operate in the Nordic region, including taking off and landing in areas with harsh conditions.
Experts recall not only the manufacturer's assurances regarding the F-35's ability to operate in severe weather conditions but also this fighter's appropriate design and equipment. "The National Interest" mentions, among other things, a special drag chute designed to assist with landing on icy runways and in anticipated strong wind gusts.
"It is also absolutely true that the F-35 has some issues to resolve, including addressing its poor availability rate. But the ability to operate from the Arctic isn’t the problem—even if Russian propaganda efforts suggest otherwise," concludes "The National Interest."
The defenseromania portal also recalls a situation from 2018 when Romanian F-16s did not take off due to "weather conditions and a frozen runway." The decision was made because their flight was to be part of the celebrations of one of the national holidays, and the authorities saw no reason to take any risk. At that time, Russian propaganda also seized the opportunity to criticize NATO aviation, claiming it would be non-operational if faced with icy runways.
