115 Squadron (Israel)
115 Squadron | |
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F-16C/D Fighting Falcon |
115 Squadron, also known as the Flying Dragon or Red Squadron, is the Israeli Air Force's aggressor squadron. Based at Ovda, it is the sole IAF squadron to operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and ground-based assets.
History
Formation
The squadron was established on July 8, 1954, as a semi-autonomous unit of 109 Squadron, specializing in photo-reconnaissance flights. Commanded by Captain Azriel Ronen, the squadron initially operated 4 de Havilland Mosquito PR.16s out of Hatzor Airbase. These were soon augmented by three Mosquito NF.30s converted to reconnaissance configuration. In June 1956, 115 became a fully independent squadron. Commanded by Major Eli Eron, the new unit was based at Tel Nof. It was soon bolstered by three additional PR.16s and three Gloster Meteor T.7s.[1][2]
As Middle East tensions rose in the mid-1950s, 115 squadron operations were stepped up. It carried out reconnaissance missions throughout the region, flying as far as Iraq and Libya. Intelligence gathered during these missions proved valuable not only during the 1956 Suez Crisis, but in subsequent wars as well. In the run-up to Suez Crisis itself, the squadron gathered information on Egyptian forces and their dispositions in the Sinai. During the war it provided much-needed intelligence on enemy activity.[1][2]
The squadron was disbanded in November 1958 with the withdrawal of the Mosquito from service. Its Meteors were allocated to other squadrons.[2]
Flying the A-4 Skyhawk
115 Squadron was reformed in January 1969 at Tel Nof, as the IAF's third
In July it participated in
Initially operating the A-4H, in 1972 the squadron made the conversion to the A-4N Skyhawk II. It was still flying both models when the Yom Kippur War broke out in October 1973.[5] On October 3 the Squadron lost its commanding officer, Ami Gadish, when his aircraft crashed during a training sortie. On October 5, Giora Romm took command of the squadron, despite having never flown the Skyhawk nor serving with the unit. War broke out the next day, and Romm's first flight was a combat sortie targeting Egyptian troops crossing the Suez Canal, with Romm familiarizing himself with the aircraft en route to the target.[5]
115 Squadron flew all types of attack missions during the Yom Kippur War, from
The squadron was back in action pounding Palestinian positions in southern Lebanon during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It saw extensive action during
Aggressor Squadron
In March 2005 the squadron was reformed at
Modelled on USAF aggressor squadrons, the unit offers its services to other nations.
In early December 2010, 115 Squadron hosted Italian Air Force Panavia Tornados at Ovda, conducting a week-long joint training session.[17] In December 2011 the Israeli and Italian Air Forces completed another two-week joint training exercise. The exercise involved pilots flying F-16As, F-16Cs and F-15Is from three Israeli squadrons, pitted against Italian Air Force pilots flying Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado strike fighters.[18] In March 2012 the Polish Air Force's 10th Tactical Squadron deployed to Ovda for a two-week-long joint exercise with Israel's 115, 117 and 106 squadrons.[19][20]
In December 2016 115 Squadron retired its F-16A/Bs, replacing them in April 2017 with the F-16C/D.[21][22]
See also
Bibliography
Notes
- ^ a b Norton (2004), pp. 130–132
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The "Flying Dragon" Squadron" (in Hebrew). Israeli Air Force official website. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
- ^ Aloni (2009), p. 17
- ^ Aloni (2009), pp. 21–24
- ^ a b Aloni (2009), pp. 31–34
- ^ Aloni (2009), pp. 35–46, 92
- ^ Aloni (2009), pp. 47–48, 92
- ^ Aloni (2009), p. 72
- ^ Aloni (2009), pp. 80–83
- ^ Aloni (2009), pp. 86–87
- ^ Pfeffer, Anshel (March 19, 2010). "New IAF training unit to reach skies without leaving ground". Haaretz. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
- ^ Pfeffer, Anshel (September 19, 2010). "Flying Dragons simulate the enemy for Israel Air Force pilots". Haaretz. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
- ^ a b Aloni, Shlomo (September 2010). "Israeli Reds". Air Forces Monthly (269).
- ^ a b Weiss, Raanan (September 2010). "Dogfighting over the Dunes". Air Forces Monthly (269).
- ^ Hoffman, Tatiana (December 21, 2008). "What are the Czech pilots doing in Israel?" (in Hebrew). Israeli Channel 2 News. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
- ^ "Czech Helicopters over the Negev Desert" (in Czech). Retrieved July 17, 2010.
- ^ "IAF and Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) Conclude Joint Training in Israel". IDF Spokesperson. December 9, 2010. Archived from the original on December 15, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
- ^ "Israel Air Force Plans Inviting Foreign Air Forces to a Multi-National Air Exercise in 2013". Defense Update. December 17, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ Rosenfeld, Shai; Tocatly, Karen (March 14, 2012). "Joint Exercise with Polish Air Force". Israeli Air Force. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
- ^ Livnat, Yael (March 14, 2012). "לראשונה: חילות האוויר של ישראל ופולין קיימו אימון משותף" (in Hebrew). Israel Defense Forces. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
- ^ Biton, Edeb (April 4, 2017). "The "Red" Squadron has Integrated the "Barak"". Israeli Air Force official. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
- ^ "Cooperation over competition: Eight nations fly in Israel's largest-ever air drill". November 28, 2017.
References
- Aloni, Shlomo (2009). Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Units in Combat. Combat Aircraft. UK: Osprey. ]
- Norton, Bill (2004). Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947. ISBN 1-85780-088-5.