Lightning Shield 2022
On 27 July 2022, exercise Lightning Shield 2022 started at Nevatim air base (Israel). Lightning Shield 2022 is a bilateral exercise for the Heyl Ha'Avir (IAF, Israeli Air Force) and the Aeronautico Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force), specifically for the F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. It is the third time that Italian F-35s participate in an Israeli exercise after two earlier Blue Flag exercises (2019 and 2021).
The training is a continuation of the Israeli exercises that focus on the fifth generation fighters after a series of exercises with F-35s of the USAF and Royal Air Force, known as Tri Lightning and Enduring Lightning in Israel and Falcon Strike in Italy. All of these exercises are a major part of the main training activity plan of the IAF, which aims to train on offensive operations. The first offensive training exercises started in 2021.
According to an Israeli Defence Force (IDF) statement: "The purpose of the exercise is to implement cooperation as intimate and close as possible while jointly learning and operationally advancing both sides".
The week-long training scenario includes the attack on important targets that are well protected by various advanced and long-range air defence systems, in addition to the presence of interceptors (Aggressor squadron), which is a very important scenario for the IAF in any future combat scenarios. Electronic support is provided by 122 Tayeset The Nachshon Squadron, operating the G550 Nachshon Eitam and G550 Nachshon Oron in the Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) role and the G-V Nachshon Shavit in the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) role. This unit is based at Nevatim air base.
The training area is located in the Negev desert, which allows low and high flying freely under the command and planning of the training division at Ovda air base.
Lightning Shield F-35 participants :
Photos by Israeli Air Force