The two F-35A Lightning jets, powered by state-of-the-art Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, cut through the skies at supersonic speeds. These engines, with their unparalleled thrust-to-weight ratio, enabled the jets to cover vast distances in a matter of minutes, crucial for the mission at hand.
As the pilots neared the last known coordinates of the unidentified object, they relied heavily on the F-35's integrated sensor package. This included the AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, known for its advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground tracking capabilities. The radar system, combined with the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) and the Distributed Aperture System (DAS), provided a comprehensive view of the airspace in all directions.
