Israeli Air Force
The
Israeli Air Force (IAF) (
Hebrew: זרוע ×"×וויר ו×"חלל
Zroa HaAvir VeHaḤalal, literally "Air and Space Arm") is the
air force of the
Israel Defense Forces and currently operates around 900 aircraft. The current Commander in Chief is
Major General Elyezer Shkedy.
 |
Official shield of the IAF |
Early years (1948-1957)
The IAF was formed when
Israel achieved statehood in
1948 and found itself under immediate attack. Its predecessor,
Sherut Avir, was the air wing of the
Haganah. The IAF's humble beginnings made its first air victories particularly impressive and noteworthy; at first, it was assembled from a hodge-podge collection of civilian aircraft commandeered or donated and converted to military use. A variety of obsolete and surplus ex-
World War II (mostly Ex-Luftwaffe) combat aircraft were quickly sourced by various means to supplement this fleet. The backbone of the IAF consisted of 25
Avia S-199 (purchased from
Czechoslovakia, and essentially were Czechoslovak-built
Messerschmitt Bf 109s) and 62
Spitfire LF Mk IXE. Creativity and resourcefulness were the early foundations of Israeli military success in the air, rather than technology (which, at the inception of the IAF, was generally inferior to that used by Israel's adversaries).
During the
1950s,
France became a major supplier of warplanes to Israel, but the trust between the two countries was violated just before the
Six Day War, when
France declared an arms
embargo on Israel. This had a two-pronged effect:
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) significantly increased its efforts and abilities in weapons production (initially based on the French models) and the
United States replaced France as Israel's principal military-aircraft supplier, producing the majority of the IAF combat fighters from the late 1960s until today.
The Six-Day War
During the
Six-Day War, the Israeli Air Force achieved absolute air superiority by eliminating the vast majority of opposing Arab air forces on the first day of fighting. On
June 5,
1967, in
Operation Focus, a massive coordinated raid employing special
Durandal and conventional bombs, rockets and strafing, the IAF destroyed most of the Egyptian air-force while their planes were still on the ground. By the end of the day the Syrian and Jordanian air forces were virtually wiped out as well. The IAF shoot-down record at the end of the war was a claimed record of 451 enemy aircraft downed versus 10 downed of its own. While this operation was taking place, only a handful of aircraft were left to guard Israeli skies.
The War of Attrition
In the
War of Attrition, the IAF operated in air "dog fight" and bombing of strategic targets deep within enemy's territory. Notable operations were:
*
September 11,
1969: IAF planes shot down 11 Egyptian jet fighters in dogfights.
*
September 26,
1969: IAF
Super Frelon and
CH-53 Sikorski helicopters carry paratroopers in a raid to "hijack" and airlift back an advanced
Soviet P-12 radar deployed in
Egypt near
Suez. A Ch-53 Helicopter carried the 4 ton radar back, tethered under it.
*
January 7,
1970: the IAF start performing deep strikes on Egyptian targets, in order to force them to cease artillery and commando attacks on Israeli forces arrayed along the east side of the
Suez Canal.
*
July 30,
1970: the IAF ambushed and shot down 5 Egyptian
MiG-21 fighters.
Yom Kippur War
In the
Yom Kippur War, the IAF suffered heavy casualties from Soviet
anti-aircraft surface-to-air missiles but managed to regroup and assist IDF's ground forces and later bomb infrastructure targets in
Syria and
Egypt. One of the first battles in the war's air front was
2-28 Air Battle. IAF
helicopters proved to be highly useful in
logistics and
rescue efforts (
MedEvac).According to Israel, during that war, the IAF lost 102 planes while the
Egyptian Air Force lost 235 and the
Syrian Air Force lost 135.
Growth (1973 - 1982)
From the
1970s onwards, following the
Yom Kippur War, most of Israel's military aircraft have been obtained from the
United States. Those included the
F-4 Phantom II,
A-4 Skyhawk,
E-2 Hawkeye and others.
The Israeli Air Force has also operated a number of domestically-produced types like the
IAI Nesher, and later, the more advanced
IAI Kfir, which were unauthorised derivatives of the French
Dassault Mirage 5 [Israel bought and paid (and was reimbursed for) for 50 Mirage 5's from
Dassault Aviation, but they were not delivered due to the French embargo during the Yom Kippur war]. The Kfir was adapted to utilize a more powerful US engine, produced under license in Israel. In
1976, the IAF participated in the
Operation Entebbe rescue mission in
Uganda.
During the
1980s and
1990s the IAF was equipped with a variety of additional U.S. aircraft (e.g.
F-15,
F-16,
AH-1 Cobra and
C-130 Hercules).
Bombing of the Osiraq nuclear reactor
On
June 7,
1981 8 IAF F-16A fighters covered by 6 F-15A jets flew in
Operation Opera, which entailed the destruction of the Iraqi
Osiraq nuclear reactor. Eight IAF F-16 fighters flew to Iraq and bombed the nuclear facilities of Osiraq. Among the pilots that took part in the attack was the late
Ilan Ramon, Israel's first
astronaut. The attack was code named
Operation Opera (sometimes also referred to as
Operation Babylon or
Operation Ofra) by Israel.
1982 Lebanon War
During the
1982 Lebanon War, IAF planes destroyed the Syrian air defence without a single fighter lost and shot down 100 Syrian aircraft (however Syria claims to have shot down Israeli aircraft during the operation). However, one IAF A-4 Skyhawk, piloted by Captain Aharon Achiaz, was lost to a PLO SA-7 missile, with the pilot being captured. IAF
AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunships destroyed dozens of Syrian
armored fighting vehicles and other ground targets, including some
T-72 main battle tanks.
After the war has ended, the
AH-1 Cobra and the IAF main activity during those years was to attack
Hizbullah's and the
PLO's positions in south
Lebanon.
Bombing of the PLO headquarters in Tunis
On
October 1,
1985 Operation Wooden Leg undertook the bombing of
PLO Headquarters in
Tunis,
Tunisia, the longest combat mission ever undertaken by the IAF: 2300 kilometers, involving in flight refueling by an IAF
Boeing 707..
High Tech age (1990 and beyond)
During the
1990s the IAF upgraded most of its aircraft with advanced Israeli-made systems, improving the performances of the aircraft. In the 1990s the IAF also received the
AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship and equipped its aircraft with the
Rafael Python 4,
Popeye and
Darby advanced Israeli missiles. In
1991, the IAF participated in
Operation Solomon which brought
Ethiopian Jews to Israel.
In the new millennium, the IAF bought the
F-15I Ra'am (Thunder) and the
F-16I Sufa (Storm), two of the most advanced variants of the
F-15 and
F-16 fighter jets, manufactured specially for
Israel according to the IAF requirements. The IAF has purchased 102 Sufa F-16I warplanes, the first planes arrived in April,
2004 (the IAF is the largest operator of F-16's after the US Air Force). The IAF also purchased the advanced Israeli air-to-air missile
Rafael Python 5, with full-sphere capability, considered among the best in its field. The IAF also purchased a special version of the Apache Longbow, marked "AH-64DI" and known as "Saraf". During 2005 the Israeli Air Force received special "Gulfstream V" jets (known as "Nachshon"), modified with the newest and most advanced intelligence systems in the world, all made by Israeli Military Industries.
|
Command structure of the IAF |
During the
al-Aqsa intifada, the IAF was largely employed in
targeted killings of leaders of Palestinian militant groups viewed by Israel as terrorists, most notably
Salah Shakhade,
Mahmoud Abu-Hunud,
Abu Ali Mustafa,
Ahmed Yassin and
Abed al-Aziz Rantissi. This policy is controversial - due to the
collateral damage caused in certain instances. Israel notes it is vital to fight terrorism and that IAF pilots do whatever they can to avoid civilian casualties - including aborting strikes.
In 2003, 27 retired Air Force Pilots composed a letter of protest to the Air Force Commander, announcing their refusal to continue and perform attacks on targets within Palestinian population centers, and claiming that the occupation of the
Palestinians "morally corrupts the fabric of Israeli society". This letter, the first of its kind emanating from the Air Force, evoked a storm of political protest in Israel, with most circles condemning it as dereliction of duty.
IDF ethics forbid soldiers from making public political affiliations, and subsequently the IAF commander,
Dan Halutz, announced that all signatories were to be suspended from flight duty, after which some of the pilots reconsidered and removed their signatures.
After a landmark
1994 High Court appeal by a Jewish immigrant from South Africa, Alice Miller, the Air Force was instructed to open its pilot's course to women. Miller passed her entrance exams, yet failed the medical tests and thus did not qualify( [
1]). The first female fighter pilot successfully received her wings in 2001 (several female
navigators graduated before her).
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The insignia of the Israeli Air Force is a blue Star of David on a white circle. This is usually painted in six positions - on the top and bottom of each wing, and each side of the fuselage. Squadron markings are usually carried on the tail fin. |
The Israeli Air Force is considered the strongest
air force in the
Middle East, and one of the best and most sophisticated in the world. Over the past few decades Israel has purchased sophisticated American fighters and installed on them its locally developed and produced
avionics and weapons. Perhaps the greatest strength of the IAF is the skill of its pilots. Israeli combat pilots are considered among the best in the world, and hold a large number of shoot-down records. It is rumored that American pilots receive training from their Israeli counterparts as part of their training curriculum. The IAF relies on its
Air Intelligence Directorate for
intelligence, including analysis of
aerial photography. Many of the IAF's electronics and weapons systems are developed and built in Israel by
Israeli Military Industries,
Israeli Aircraft Industries,
Elbit and others.
The IAF holds world records respective to the amounts of enemy warplanes shoot-downs, air combat performance, special operations, and air to ground operations from the jet era onward.
Some of the records and highlight moments are as follows:
Six Day War
June 5,
1967 – the
Six Day War: The destruction of the entire Egyptian air-force within 3 hours. By the end of the day the Syrian and Jordanian air forces were wiped out as well. The IAF shoot-down total at the end of the war was a claimed record of 451 enemy aircraft downed versus of its own ten downed. See:
Operation Red Sheet.
War of Attrition
March, 1969 until August, 1970 – the
War of Attrition: 111 enemy warplanes were shot-down in dogfights by IAF pilots while only four IAF warplanes were shot down in dogfights by enemy pilots (according to Israeli sources). Also, during the
Cold War the
Soviet Union held close relationships with the Arab nations. On
July 30,
1970 the tension peaked: An IAF ambush resulted in a large scale air brawl between IAF planes and MiGs flown by Soviet pilots — five
MiGs were shot down, while the IAF suffered no losses.
Yom Kippur War
October 9,
1973 – the
Yom Kippur War: The destruction of the Syrian General Staff in
Damascus: On
October 9 1973, two
F-4 Phantom quartets attacked and destroyed the Syrian General Staff Headquarters in the heart of Damascus. The Syrian Air Force Headquarters was damaged as well.
Also, during the
Yom Kippur War, the IAF shot down 277 enemy warplanes accounting for over a third of the IAF's total kills since 1948.
1982 Lebanon War
June 8,
1982 –
1982 Lebanon War: The destruction of the entire
Soviet supplied
Syrian air-defence system in Lebanon within a few hours without a single warplane lost; Syria with the help of the
U.S.S.R built up an overlapping network of surface-to-air missiles. Also the IAF states it achieved in dogfights a total of 80 Syrian planes shoot-downs, without a single Israeli plane being shot down.
Israel-Lebanon Conflict: July 2006 - Present
The IAF has played a vital role in the current
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict by leading the
Israeli counterattack against the
Hezbollah forces in
Lebanon. These strikes, mainly although not exclusively in
southern Lebanon, are aimed at crippling
Hezbollah's militia which dominates southern Lebanon.
Other
* The only documented successful emergency landing of an F-15 with one wing, the other torn off after an airborne collision with an A-4 Skyhawk. The Skyhawk exploded and its pilot ejected.
McDonnell-Douglas, the F-15 Manufacturer, refused to believe it was possible until photos of the incident were shown. The F-15 was restored to flight status.
* "
Ace" pilots: 39 IAF pilots shot down at least five jet planes, ten out of them shot down at least eight jet planes.
* "Ace of Aces":
Aluf Giora Epstein shot down seventeen jet planes, holding the world record of jet aircraft shot down, and the most of any aircraft shot down since the
Korean War.
*Obtaining the first shoot-downs for the American fighter jets, the
F-15 and the
F-16. [
2]
* 126 enemy planes were shot down in dogfights in the years between the wars — most of them in the 1970s. The IAF lost only two planes in dogfights between the wars, once in 1959 and the other in 1964.
*
Yisrael Amir (May 1948-July 1948)
*
Aharon Remez (July 1948-December 1950)
*
Shlomo Shamir (December 1950-August 1951)
*
Hayim Laskov (August 1951-May 1953)
*
Dan Tolkovsky (May 1953-July 1958)
*
Ezer Weizman (July 1958-April 1966)
*
Mordechai Hod (April 1966-May 1973)
*
Binyamin Peled (May 1973-October 1977)
*
David Ivri (October 1977-December 1982)
*
Amos Lapidot (December 1982-September 1987)
*
Avihu Ben-Nun (September 1987-January 1992)
*
Herzl Bodinger (January 1992-July 1996)
*
Eitan Ben Eliyahu (July 1996-April 2000)
*
Dan Halutz (April 2000-April 2004)
*
Elyezer Shkedy (April 2004-)
Historic
Fighters
*
Avia S199 Messerschmitt Sakin
*
Bristol Beaufighter
*
De Havilland Mosquito
*
North American P51 Mustang
*
Supermarine Spitfire
*
Gloster Meteor
*
Dassault Ouragan
*
Dassault Mystere
*
Dassault Super Mystere B2
*
Sud Ouest SO4050 Vautour
*
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom*
McDonnell Douglas A4 Skyhawk
*
Dassault Mirage 3C
*
Curtiss C-46 Commando
*
De Havilland DHC-82 Tiger Moth
*
Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher
Bombers
*
Boeing B17 Flying Fortress
* M-57 Aerovan
*
Auster Aircraft Limited Autocrat (Hebrew nickname: `Primus`)
*
Grumman G-44 Widgeon
*
De Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide
*
Taylorcraft BL
*
Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman
* R.W.D-13
* R.W.D-15
*
Nord 2501 Noratlas
*
Aerospatiale Socata Rallye
*
Dornier DO-27 (Hebrew nickname: `Dror` (`Sparrow`))
*
Pilatus Britten-Norman Islander
*
Pilatus PC-6A Turbo Porter
*
Beechcraft B-80 Queen Air (Hebrew nickname: `Zamir` (`Nightingale`))
*
Israel Aircraft Industries Arava
*
Grumman OV-1 Mohawk (Hebrew nickname: `Atalef` (`Bat`))
*
Dornier DO-28 (Hebrew nickname: `Agur` (`Crane`))
*
Israel Aircraft Industries Seascan (Hebrew nickname: `Shahaf` (`Seagull`))
*
Avro Anson
*
Airspeed AS-65 Consul
*
Boeing/Stearman PT-13 Kaydet
*
Vultee BT-13 Valiant
*
Nord 1203/II Norecrin
Transport/Recon
*
Beechcraft Bonanza
*
Boeing 377 Stratocruiser (Hebrew nickname: `Anak` (`Giant`))
*
Boeing 707 (Hebrew nickname: `Re`em` (Oryx))
*
Cessna Aircraft Company 180, 206
*
Consolidated PBY5A
*
Douglas C-47 Dakota *
Douglas DC-4 Skymaster *
Douglas DC-5 *
Grumman E-2C Hawkeye (Hebrew nickname: `Daya` (`Kite`))
*
Lockheed 414 Hudson
*
Lockheed 18 Lodestar
*
Lockheed C-130 Hercules (Hebrew nickname: `Karnaf`)
*
Lockheed Constellation
Light Aircraft/Trainer
*
North American AT-6 Harvard
*
Piper Super Cub
*
Aerospatiale Fouga Magister
*
De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
*
Temco TE-1A Buckaroo
*
Fokker S-11 Instructor
*
Piaggio P149D
*
Hiller360
*
Republic RC-3 SeaBee
Helicopters
*
Aerospatiale SE-3130 Alouette II
*
Sikorsky S-55
*
Sikorsky S-58
*
Aerospatiale SA-321K Super Frelon (Hebrew nickname: `Tzir`a` (`Wasp`))
*
Bell Helicopter Textron-205
*
Bell Helicopter Textron-47
*
Sikorsky CH-53 (Hebrew nickname: `Yas`ur` (`Petrel`))
*
Bell Helicopter Textron 206 Jet Ranger / Bell 206 Long Ranger (Hebrew nicknames: `Saifan` / `Saifanit`)
*
Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1 Huey-Cobra (Hebrew nickname: `Tzefa` (`Viper`))
*
Bell-212 (Hebrew nickname: `Anafa` (`Heron`))
Other
*
Hughes Defender (Hebrew nickname: `Lahatut` (`Sleight of Hand`))
*
Israel Aircraft Industries Scout
*
Teledyne-Ryan BQM-34 Firebee (Hebrew nickname: `Mabat` (`Gaze`))
*
Teledyne-Ryan BQM-34E/F Firebee II (`Shadmit` (`Pratincole`))
*
Northrop Checker (Hebrew nickname: `Telem` (`Furrow`))
* Tzukit
* Arava
*
IAI Phalcon* Seascan - Shahaf
* Anak Boeing 377
Current
Fighter
*
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle Baz 2000 (A,B,C,D)
*
Mazlat (
UAV) - unmanned small aerial vehicle
*
Boeing F-15I
*
Lockheed F-16A,B,C,D,I
*
Socata TB-20 Trinidad (Hebrew nickname: `Pashosh` (`Warbler`))
*
Raytheon A36 Bonanza(Hebrew nickname: `Hofit` (Stint))
*
Beechcraft King Air*
Israel Aircraft Industries `Tzukit
*
GROB G-120A (Hebrew nickname: `Snunit` (`Swallow`))
*
Israel Aircraft Industries `Searcher` / `Searcher 2
Helicopters
*
Aerospatiale HH-65A (Hebrew nickname: `Dolphin)
*
Boeing AH-64 Apache (Hebrew nickname: `Peten` (`Adder`), `Saraph`)
*
Eurocopter AS-565 Panther (Hebrew nickname: `Atalef` (`Bat`))
*
Sikorsky Aircraft UH-60 Black Hawk (Hebrew nickname: `Yanshuf` (`Owl`))
* Yas'ur 2000
Captured Aircraft
*
Fairchild F24R Argus
*
Benes Mraz Sokol
*
Heliopolis Gumhuria
*
Yakovlev Yak-11
*
Mikoyan MiG-17 Fresco
*
Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21 "Fishbed"
*
Mil Mi-8 `Hip`
*
Mikoyan MiG-23 Flogger
*
Aerospatiale SA-342 Gazelle
Anti-Aircraft Systems
*
Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk*
Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot *
Israel Aircraft Industries `Racquet` (`Machbet`)
*
General Dynamics Stinger
*
Israel Aircraft Industries `Arrow` (`Hetz`)
Space
* Shavit - satellite launch system
* OFEQ (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) satellites
* AMOS 1, 2 satellites
* EROS satellite
*
Hatzerim Airbase*
Hatzor Airbase*
Ben Gurion International Airport*
Megiddo Airport*
Nevatim Airbase*
Ovda International Airport*
Palmachim Airbase*
Ramat David Airbase*
Ramon Airbase*
Sedot Mikha Airbase*
Sde Dov Airport*
Tel Nof AirbaseSee also
Military equipment of Israel*
Sayeret Shaldag*
Unit 669*
List of aircraft of the Israeli Air Force*
List of Israeli Air Force aircraft squadrons*
Israel Aircraft Industries*
Israeli Defence Forces*
List of air forces*
IAF list of Commanders*
The IAF Official Website (Hebrew)*
The IAF Official Website (English)*
The IAF Special Forces Units - at isayeret.com*
101 Squadron, Israel's first fighter squadron*
IAF F-15 lands with one wing*
israeli-weapons*
Israel air force war -
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