F-35’s Failure to Detect Russian S-300 Frequencies Sparks Major Concerns

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began last February, the United States deployed its fifth-generation fighter jets, the F-35, to countries like Estonia, Lithuania, and Romania to patrol the borders with Russia and the Baltic countries.

Flying in “stealth mode,” the F-35 aircraft from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings based in Germany were assigned Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) missions to track frequencies emitted by Russian air defense systems and fighter aircraft.

These fighter jets gathered various data from the enemy’s systems to help NATO forces better understand the threats they would face following the Russian invasion.

According to reports from the Air Force Times, the fifth-generation fighter jets of the United States Air Force successfully tracked most of Russia’s air defense systems in Ukraine and Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordering Poland.

 However, despite the advanced electronic warfare and sensor systems equipped on the F-35, not all Russian air defense systems in Ukraine could be detected by these fifth-generation combat aircraft.

 

“During the mission, F-35 aircraft sometimes could not identify the completeness of the forces because some of the equipment, such as air defense systems, could hide their presence in the field.”

“One such system (hiding their presence) is the long-range Russian air defense system, the S-300,” said Colonel Craig Andrle, Commander of the 388th Fighter Wings, to the involved portal.

There is a possibility that Russia’s air defense systems operate in a mode not recognized by the F-35 aircraft, he added, stating that the fighter jets had informed headquarters about the presence of “unidentified objects.”

However, the failure of the sophisticated F-35 aircraft owned by the United States to track and identify the frequencies owned by Russia’s air defense systems is considered “worrisome” as it could endanger the air operations of NATO and Ukrainian combat aircraft.

The failure surprised the pilots of the F-35 aircraft themselves and also demonstrated that the S-300 air defense system poses a significant challenge to the United States military. Despite the F-35 being touted for its powerful Electronic Warfare (EW)/ELINT capabilities, this failure indicates that Russia also has its own tricks.

 

“We see the SA-20 system (NATO designation for the S-300). I know that it is an SA-20 system, and intelligence also says that there is an SA-20 system operating in the area, but my aircraft failed to identify it because the air defense system might be operating in a ‘war reserve mode’ that has never happened before,” said a U.S. Air Force officer.

It is normal for air defense systems not to use their actual frequencies during peacetime, known as “war reserve,” to prevent their enemies from knowing their true frequencies.

 The involved air defense system members operate in a “war reserve” state to avoid their systems being detected by the enemy. If the frequencies are detected, the “enemy” can devise Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) plans to counter them. — DSA

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