The war conflict in is an opportunity for them to try new things. What armaments, new and old, do the Americans rely on to ?
The “moment” of the F-35 and the massive presence of American fighters
This war is the “moment” of the F-35, as they actually shot down a manned fighter aircraft for the first time, an Iranian Yak-130 from an F-35I Adir, which is the Israeli version of the F-35 Lightning II fighter. F-35B fighter jets shot down Iranian drones over Jordan. The US has stationed around 30 F-35 Lightning IIs in the region, while a squadron of F-35Cs is participating with the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
B-2, F-22 and F-15: the strategic and tactical aircraft that define operations
Very important are the B-2 strategic bombers, which carry ballistic missiles. Four B-2s had participated in the missions of the first day (2/28).
The operations involve at least 12 F-22s, which also took part in last June’s 12-day war, as well as in January’s operation in Venezuela. Also, dozens of F-16s, which have the ability to counter enemy air defenses. They make their presence felt by the A-10s, which were used against the Islamic State in Syria.
Squadrons also play a defensive role, shooting down Iranian drones and missiles. Also, EA-18 Growlers are designed for electronic attacks and jamming. They had successfully participated in the operation in Venezuela.
PrSM: the new long-range missiles being used for the first time
From ballistic missiles, Lockheed Martin’s PrSM (Precision Strike Missiles) are used for the first time. The first PrSM missiles were delivered to the US military in December 2023. They can hit targets at a distance of 500 kilometers and are compatible with the multiple launch systems, type MLRS M270 and M-142 HIMARS, which have been used in Ukraine.
There is potential for rapid production of PrSM missiles, which are characterized by their high adaptability. The PrSMs replace the ATACMs, which have also been used extensively in Ukraine, but have a 300 km range. The 500km range of the PrSMs means they can be launched at Iran and from countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
PrSMs are of course used in conjunction with ATACMs and Tomahawk Cruises. It should be noted that the use of PrSMs is possible after the withdrawal of the US in 2019, during Trump’s first presidency, from the Treaty on Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF), which banned missiles with a range of more than 500 km.
Tomahawk and ATACMS: the proven weapons that complement the American arsenal
Tomahawk cruise missiles are also used, which are usually launched from the sea, having the ability to strike at a distance of 1,600 kilometers.
Artificial intelligence on the battlefield: the role of Anthropic and Claude
US forces have used artificial intelligence tools in Iran, including even from the company Anthropic, despite its recent spat with the Pentagon. US Central Command in the Middle East uses Anthropic’s Claude program for a variety of missions, including target recognition, especially in the context of using drones, intelligence assessment and simulation of combat scenarios.
This use is taking place while Anthropic, in negotiations with the War Department, has refused to grant the use of its programs for mass surveillance of Americans and for autonomous lethal weapons, meaning that they make the decision to kill without human intervention. President Trump subsequently ordered the replacement of Anthropic’s programs.
Programs from OpenAI or Elon Musk’s xAI could be used in their place. However, this is a process that can take months, as it also draws on data from data mining companies such as Palantir. Claude had, after all, been used during the operation that led to the arrest of the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro.
The ‘drone war’ – From cheap LUCAS to the MQ-9 Reaper
However, the war with drones is also important. The American LUCAS is a low-cost “kamikaze” drone, only 35,000 dollars and has a range of 800 km. With the emphasis on low cost, the US follows the logic of mass production of cheap drones, which are important for a war of attrition and financial exhaustion of the adversary, as is the case with the Iranian Sahed and the Russian Geran.
The LUCAS drones were built after extracting information from the Iranian-made Shahed-136, which fell into the hands of the Americans.
Also particularly popular are the MQ-9 Reaper, medium-altitude strike drones that can carry eight AGM-114 Hellfire surface-to-air missiles. They can fly loaded with ammunition for 14 hours.
Mk 48 Submarines and Torpedoes – The Unseen Naval Dimension of Conflict
In this war we also see the action of war submarines, such as the American submarine that sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, with a single Mk 48 torpedo.
With similar weapons systems, the US can handle very different missions, combining range and strike power.
