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F-35 vs S-400 at Tarang Shakti: Will US jet evade Russian radar? Old fear resurfaces.
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News18•30-09-2026, 12:42
F-35 vs S-400 at Tarang Shakti: Will US jet evade Russian radar? Old fear resurfaces.
- •Tarang Shakti 2026 exercise features a face-off between America's F-35A Lightning-2 and India's S-400 air defense system.
- •Six American F-35A fighter jets have arrived in Jodhpur, making this exercise unique.
- •The key question is whether a low-observable jet like the F-35 can evade the S-400 radar or if the S-400 can detect it.
- •Both sides will not fully reveal sensitive capabilities during the exercise, making it not a direct confrontation between S-400 and F-35.
- •For the Indian Air Force, this exercise is an opportunity to understand fifth-generation fighter jets and work with diverse technologies.
Key Questions Answered
The Tarang Shakti 2026 exercise is running from September 26 to October 12 at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
America feared that operating the Russian S-400 system near F-35 sites in Turkey could expose sensitive information about the jet's technology, leading to Turkey's removal from the program in 2019.
No, both sides will avoid exposing their most sensitive capabilities, full radar modes, or complete technology during the exercise.
