Israeli Air Force

Official shield of the IAF

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) (Hebrew: Zroa HaAvir VeHaH.alal, 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.

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..

Command structure of the IAF

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.

During the al-Aqsa intifada, the IAF was largely employed in targeted killings of Palestinian terrorist leaders, 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).

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.

Records and highlights

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