Lessons Learned from U.S. Air Force F-35s Defending NATO

The US Air Force sent F-35s to Europe to gather electronic data from surface-to-air missiles and aircraft to build a map to guide NATO operations and add muscle if the situation spilled into NATO countries. The mission gave the Air Force a chance to hone its new short-notice approach to deployments and illustrated advances in the F-35's ability to communicate with the joint force and quickly adjust to unrecognized threats. The mission also offered new insight into what the jets are still missing, as the military warns of future fights with Russia or China.