Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air and Space Arm | |
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| |
Lockheed KC-130 Hercules, Boeing KC-707 |
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; Hebrew: זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, romanized: Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, lit. 'tl', "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as חֵיל הָאֲוִיר, Kheil HaAvir, "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. As of April 2022[update], Aluf Tomer Bar has been serving as the Air Force commander.
The Israeli Air Force was established using commandeered or donated civilian aircraft and obsolete and surplus
Shortly after the end of the Six-Day War, Egypt initiated the War of Attrition, and the Israeli Air Force performed repeated bombings of strategic targets deep within enemy territory. When the Yom Kippur War broke out on October 6, 1973, Egyptian and Syrian advances forced the IAF to abandon detailed plans for the destruction of enemy air defences. Forced to operate under the missile and anti-aircraft artillery threats, the close air support it provided allowed Israeli troops on the ground to stem the tide and eventually go on the offensive.
Since that war most of Israel's military aircraft have been obtained from the United States. Among these are the
Mission statement
The Israeli Air Force states the following as its functions:[4]
- To protect the State of Israel from aerial attack and to defend the IDF's zone of operations
- To achieve air supremacy throughout the IDF's zone of operation
- To participate in the fighting on both ground and sea
- To hit targets deep in enemy territory
- To create the aerial intelligence picture and participate in the creation of the general intelligence picture and its assessment
- To transport troops, equipment and weapons systems
- To carry out search, rescue and aerial evacuation missions
- To execute special operations
- To continually build and improve itself, as part of the general plan for improving the IDF and in accordance with the authority vested in it
Insignia
The insignia / roundel of the Israeli Air Force consists of a blue Star of David on a white circle. Aircraft usually carry it painted in six positions – on the top and bottom of each wing, and on each side of the fuselage. A low-visibility variant – a blue Star of David without the white circle – exists, although its use is extremely rare. Squadron markings usually go on the tail fin.
History
Early years (1948–1967)
Forerunners of the Israeli Air Force were the Palestine Flying Service established by the
Creativity and resourcefulness were the foundations of early 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. The majority, 15 out of the first 18 pilots in 101 Squadron (Israel), of the IAF's first military-grade pilots in 1948 were foreign volunteers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, mainly World War II veterans who wanted to collaborate with Israel's struggle for independence. The rest of the military-grade pilots were Israeli WWII veterans. Pilots from Sherut Avir were mainly locals who flew light civilian aircraft for supply, reconnaissance, and makeshift ground attack with hand-thrown light bombs and hand fired light machine guns.
Israel's new fighter-arm first went into action on May 29, 1948, assisting efforts to halt the Egyptian advance from Gaza northwards. Four newly arrived Avia S-199s, flown by Lou Lenart, Modi Alon, Ezer Weizman and Eddie Cohen, struck Egyptian forces near Ashdod. Although damage to the enemy was minimal, two aircraft were lost and Cohen killed. The attack achieved its goal and stopped the Egyptians.
On May 30, after un-assembled planes were strafed on the ground at
During these initial operations, the squadron operated with a few planes versus almost complete Arab theater
As the war progressed Israel procured more aircraft, including
Suez Crisis (1956)
The Israeli Air Force played an important part in
Six-Day War (1967)
In three hours on the morning of June 5, 1967, the first day of the
After the IAF's impressive performance in the Six-Day War, the
War of Attrition
Shortly after the end of the Six-Day War, Egypt initiated the War of Attrition, hoping to prevent Israel from consolidating its hold over the lands captured in 1967. Israel's goal in the fighting was to exact heavy losses on the opposing side, in order to facilitate a ceasefire. The Israeli Air Force undertook repeated bombings of strategic targets deep within enemy territory and repeatedly challenged Arab air forces for aerial supremacy, while supporting operations by Israel's ground and naval forces.
In late 1969 the Soviet Union began to deploy fighter aircraft units and surface-to-air missile units to Egypt. The Soviet surface-to-air missile units soon joined their Egyptian allies in direct confrontations with Israeli aircraft. Soviet fighters conducted patrols, but Israeli pilots were ordered not to engage them. On July 30, 1970, the tension peaked: An IAF ambush resulted in a
Fear of further escalation and superpower involvement brought the war to a conclusion. By the end of August 1970, the Israeli Air Force had claimed 111 aerial kills while reporting losing only four aircraft to Arab fighters. Egyptian and Soviet forces claimed to shoot down approximately 20 Israeli Air Force planes with surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery units.
Yom Kippur War (1973)
On October 6, 1973, with war imminent, the IAF began preparing for a pre-emptive strike against Egyptian and Syrian airfields and anti-aircraft positions. The Israeli government decided against pre-emption.[13] IAF aircraft were therefore in the process of re-armament to the air-to-air role when Yom Kippur War hostilities began at 14:00.[14] The next morning began with Operation Tagar, a SEAD offensive against Egyptian air defences, beginning with strikes against Egyptian air bases. Tagar was quickly discontinued when the dire situation on the Golan Heights became apparent.[15]
IAF efforts were redirected north, where the ill-fated Operation Model 5 was carried out. Flying with outdated intelligence and no electronic screening against mobile SAM batteries and heavy flak, 6 IAF Phantoms were lost.[15] The sustained campaign required to defeat enemy air defences was abandoned in the face of Egyptian and Syrian advances and the IAF was forced to operate under the SAM threat. Nevertheless, the close air support it provided allowed Israeli troops on the ground to stem the tide and eventually go on the offensive, first in the north and later in the south.[16][17]
After the failure of the Israeli counter-offensive in the Sinai on October 8, the southern front remained relatively static and the IAF focused its attention on the Syrian front.
On October 14 the Egyptian army launched an offensive along the entire front but was repulsed by the
Official Israeli Air Force losses of the Yom Kippur War were 102 aircraft, including 32 F-4 Phantoms, 53 A-4 Skyhawks, 11 Dassault Mirages, and 6
Expansion (1973–1982)
Since the war, most of Israel's military aircraft have been obtained from the United States. Among these are the
On June 7, 1981, eight IAF F-16A fighters covered by six F-15A jets carried out Operation Opera to destroy the Iraqi nuclear facilities at Osiraq. Among the pilots who took part in the attack was Ilan Ramon, later Israel's first astronaut.
1982 Lebanon War and aftermath
Prior to the
In the decades since the war's official conclusion (including the
On October 1, 1985, In response to a terrorist attack in Cyprus, in which three Israeli civilians were murdered by the PLO, the IAF carried out Operation Wooden Leg. The strike involved the bombing of the PLO Headquarters near Tunis, by 8 F-15B/D Eagle Baz. This was the longest combat mission ever undertaken by the IAF, a stretch of 2,300 kilometers, involving in-flight refueling by 2 Boeing 707 tankers and resulting in the destruction or damage of the targets.
1990s and beyond
Many of the IAF's electronics and weapons systems are developed and built in Israel by
During the first Gulf War of 1991, Israel was attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles. Israeli Air Force pilots were on constant stand-by in their cockpits throughout the conflict, ready to fly to Iraq to retaliate. Diplomatic pressure as well as denial of IFF transponder codes from the United States, kept the IAF grounded. Coalition air assets and Patriot missile batteries supplied by the US and the Netherlands sought to deal with the Scuds.
In 1991, the IAF carried out Operation Solomon which brought Ethiopian Jews to Israel. In 1993 and 1996, the IAF participated in Operation Accountability and Operation Grapes of Wrath, respectively.
In the late 1990s, the IAF began acquiring the
Three months after the assassination of the leader of
The Israeli Air Force took an extensive part in IDF operations during the
On October 5, 2003, the Israeli Air Force attacked an alleged Palestinian militant training camp in Ain es Saheb, Syria. A reaction to an earlier suicide bombing in Haifa, this was the first overt Israeli military operation in Syria since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
2006 Lebanon War
The IAF played a critical role in the 2006 Lebanon War. IAF strikes—mainly, though not exclusively, in southern Lebanon—were aimed at stopping rocket launches by Hezbollah's militia targeting Israeli towns. The IAF flew more than 12,000 combat missions during this war. The most notable, taking place during the second day of the war, resulted in the IAF destroying 59 Iranian-supplied medium- and long-range missile launchers in just 34 minutes.[32]
2007 Operation Outside the Box
In the 2007 Operation Outside the Box, the Israeli Air Force attacked a suspected Syrian nuclear weapons site.[3] The IAF used electronic warfare (EW) system to take neutralize Syria's air defenses,[37] feeding them a false sky-picture while IAF jets crossed much of Syria, bombed their targets and returned to Israel unchallenged.[38]
Against Hamas
Since
According to a
The Israeli Air Force also operates surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery units. Since 1990 their primary role has been the interception of surface-to-surface missiles and rockets fired into Israel. In 2011 the IAF began operating the 'Iron Dome' anti-rocket missile system, which within a year had successfully intercepted and destroyed 93 rockets fired at Israeli towns from Gaza.[49]
In November 2012, the IAF participated in
Between July 8 and August 5, 2014, the IAF participated in
In May 2021, Israeli artillery and air force carried out 1,500 strikes on Gaza during
Incidents during the Syrian Civil War
The
- The downing of a Syrian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 on 23 September 2014: The aircraft was shot down by an IAF MIM-104 Patriot air defense battery, after allegedly crossing the Syrian-Israeli ceasefire line during a ground attack mission against Syrian opposition forces.[54]
- On 20 and 21 August 2015, after four rockets hit the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, Israel launched airstrikes in Syria, killing several militants.[55]
- The Syrian Civil War.[60]
- On 10 February 2018, an Israeli AH-64 shot down an Iranian drone that entered Israel. 4 Israeli F-16's launched a strike into Syria while remaining in Israeli airspace, reportedly to strike Iranian drone control facilities, conducting a cross-border raid. One of the F-16s was shot down by Syrian surface to air missiles and crashed in northern Israel, the first Israeli jet to be shot down in combat since 1982. Both pilots managed to eject in Israeli territory. The pilots were injured but walked out of hospital around a week later.[61] Israel subsequently attacked Syrian air defenses and Iranian targets.[62][63]
- On May 10, 2018, after Iranian elite forces on the Syrian-held side of the Golan Heights fired around 20 rockets towards Israeli army positions without causing damages or injuries,F-35 stealth fighters for the first time.[68]
- On September 17, 2018, Syrian media reported several explosions over the city of Latakia after allegedly intercepting missiles fired from the Mediterranean Sea. Israel assumed responsibility for the attack on Latakia, following the shoot down of a Russian reconnaissance plane by Syrian air defense systems.[69] SANA news agency claimed ten people were injured by the Israeli attack.[70] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported two Syrian soldiers died,[71] while 113 Iranian soldiers have been killed during the past month as a result of Israeli strikes in Syria.[72]
Organization
Order of Battle |
---|
Administrative organization
- Chief of Air Staff Group
- Fixed Wing Group
- Helicopter Group
- Intelligence Group
- Equipment Group
- Manpower Group
- Chief Medical Officer
- Unit Control Group
- Air Special Forces Group
- Shaldag – air force special operations unit
- medevacextraction unit
- Air Defense Command
- Northern Air Defense Regiment
- Central Air Defense Regiment
- Southern Air Defense Regiment (including Air Defense School)
Operational organization
- Ramat David Airbase (Wing 1)
- Sdot Micha Airbase (Wing 2)
- 150 Squadron
- 199 Squadron
- 248 Squadron
- Hatzor Airbase (Wing 4)
- Hatzerim Airbase (Air Force Base 6)
- 69 "Hammers" Squadron
- 102 "Flying Tiger" Squadron
- IAF Aerobatic Team
- 107 "Knights of the Orange Tail" Squadron
- Air Force Infantry School
- Tel Nof Airbase (Air Force Base 8)
- 106 "Spearhead" Squadron
- 118 "Night Riders" Squadron
- 133 "Knight of the Twin Tail" Squadron
- 210 "White Eagle" Squadron[73]
- 601 Squadron(Flight Test Center)
- Unit 555 "Sky Crows" (electronic warfare unit)[74]
- Ovda Airbase (Air Force Base 10)
An M-346 'Lavi' in IAF service. - 115 "Flying Dragon" Squadron
- Aviation Professions School
- Air Force Officers School
- Haifa Airbase (Air Force Base 21)
- Technical Professions School
- IAF Technological College
- Ramon Airbase (Wing 25)
- Nevatim Airbase (Air Force Base 28)
- Palmachim Airbase (Air Force Base 30)
- 123 "Desert Birds" Squadron
- 124 "Rolling Sword" Squadron
- 147 "Goring Ram" Squadron
- 151 Squadron (Missile Testing Squadron)
- 161 "Black Snake" Squadron
- 166 "Spark" Squadron
Aircraft
Current inventory
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat aircraft | ||||||
F-15 Eagle | United States | multirole | F-15 A/C/I | 66[2] | ||
F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | multirole | F-16C/I | 175[2] | ||
F-35 Lightning II | United States | stealth multirole | F-35I | 39[2] | 36 on order[2] | |
AEW&C | ||||||
Boeing 707
|
United States / Israel | AEW&C | 2[75] | modified with AESA radar | ||
Gulfstream G550 | United States | AEW&C | CAEW | 2[2] | equipped with the IAI EL/W-2085 radar[76]
| |
Reconnaissance | ||||||
Super King Air | United States | SIGINT / ELINT | B200 | 18[2] | ||
Gulfstream G550 | United States | SIGINT / surveillance | SEMA | 3[2] | ||
Tanker | ||||||
Boeing 707 | United States | aerial refueling | 7[2] | |||
KC-46 Pegasus | United States | aerial refueling / transport | 8 on order[2] | |||
KC-130 Hercules | United States | aerial refueling / transport | KC-130H | 7[2] | ||
Transport | ||||||
Super King Air | United States | utility / transport | B200 | 4[2] | two provide multi-engine training | |
C-130 Hercules | United States | transport / SAR | C-130E/H | 3[2] | ||
C-130J Super Hercules | United States | tactical airlift | C-130J-30 | 7[2] | ||
Helicopters | ||||||
Bell 206 | United States | utility | 4[2] | |||
AH-64 Apache | United States | attack | AH-64A/D | 48[2] | ||
Sikorsky UH-60 | United States | utility | UH-60A/L | 50[2] | ||
Sikorsky SH-60 | United States | ASuW | SH-60F | 8 on order[77] | ||
Sikorsky CH-53 | United States | heavy lift
|
S-65C-3 | 22[2] | 18 on order[2] | |
Eurocopter AS565 | France | SAR | 4[2] | operated for the Israeli Navy | ||
Trainer aircraft
| ||||||
M-346 Lavi | Italy | advanced trainer | 30[2] | |||
F-15 Eagle | United States | conversion trainer | F-15 B/D | 20[2] | ||
F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | conversion trainer | F-16D | 49[2] | ||
Bell OH-58 | Italy | rotorcraft trainer | 18[2] | |||
T-6 Texan II | United States | intermediate trainer | T-6A | 20[2] | ||
Grob G 120 | Germany | basic trainer | G 120A | 16[2] | ||
AgustaWestland AW119 | Italy | rotorcraft trainer | 12 on order[2] | |||
UAV | ||||||
IAI Eitan[78] | Israel | surveillance | Heron-TP | MALE
| ||
IAI Heron[78] | Israel | surveillance | Heron-1 | MALE
| ||
Hermes 900[78]
|
Israel | surveillance | MALE
| |||
Hermes 450[78] | Israel | surveillance | tactical | |||
Orbiter 4 | Israel | surveillance | tactical |
Historic
Munitions and space systems
Pilot selection and training
Thirty nine Israeli pilots have been credited with ace status, having shot down at least 5 enemy aircraft. Of these, 10 have shot down at least eight jet planes. The top ranking Israeli ace is Colonel Giora Epstein, who shot down seventeen enemy planes. Epstein holds the world record for jet aircraft shot down, and the most aircraft of any type shot down since the Korean War.
Ranks
IAF ranks are identical to other
Officers
Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Israeli Air Force[81] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
רב-אלוף Rav aluf |
אלוף Aluf |
תת-אלוף Tat aluf |
אלוף משנה Aluf mishne |
סגן-אלוף Sgan aluf |
רב סרן Rav seren |
סרן Seren |
סגן Segen |
סגן-משנה Segen mishne |
קצין אקדמאי בכיר Katzín akademai bakhír |
קצין מקצועי אקדמאי Katzín miktsoí akademai |
Enlisted
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Israeli Air Force[81] |
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
רב-נגד Rav nagad |
רב-סמל בכיר Rav samal bakhír |
רב-סמל מתקדם Rav samal mitkadem |
רב-סמל ראשון Rav samal rishon |
רב-סמל Rav samal |
סמל ראשון Samal rishon |
סמל Samal |
רב טוראי Rav turai |
טוראי Turai |
List of IAF commanders
See also
- Lists of flying aces in Arab–Israeli wars
- IDF code of ethics
- Nuclear weapons and Israel
- Post–World War II air-to-air combat losses
- Talpiot program
References
Citations
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- ^ "Israel - Excess SH-60F Sea-Hawk Helicopter Equipment and Support | Defense Security Cooperation Agency". www.dsca.mil. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c d The Military Balance 2018, International Institute for Strategic Studies, April 14, 2018, p. 342.
- ^ Norton 2004, p. 105.
- ^ Feldinger, Lauren Gelfond (September 21, 2008). "Skirting history". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ a b "עושים לכם סדר בדרגות". idf.il (in Hebrew). Israel Defense Forces. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
Bibliography
- Aloni, Shlomo (July–August 2001a). "Trainers in Combat: Valour and Sacrifice in the Six Day War". ISSN 0143-5450.
- ——— (2001b). Arab-Israeli Air Wars. Combat Aircraft. UK: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84176-294-4.
- ——— (2004a). Israeli Mirage and Nesher Aces. UK: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-783-2.
- ——— (2004b). Israeli Phantom II Aces. UK: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-653-4.
- ——— (2009). Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Units in Combat. Combat Aircraft. UK: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84603-430-5. Archived from the originalon February 25, 2012.
- ———; Avidror, Zvi (2010). Hammers – Israel's Long-Range Heavy Bomber Arm: The Story of 69 Squadron. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-3655-3.
- Dunstan, Simon (2003). The Yom Kippur War 1973 (1): The Golan Heights. Campaign. Vol. 118. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-220-3.
- Franken, Johan; Van Der Avoort, Frank (October 2012). "Blue-Starred Defenders". Air Forces Monthly (295): 72–83.
- Gordon, Shmuel (2008). Thirty hours in October (in Hebrew). Ma'ariv Book Guild.
- Nordeen, Lon (1990). Fighters Over Israel. New York: Orion Books. ISBN 0-517-56603-6.
- Norton, William 'Bill' (2004). Air War on the Edge – A History of the Israel Air Force and its Aircraft since 1947. ISBN 1-85780-088-5.
Further reading
- Amir, Amos. Brig Gen. Fire in the Sky : Flying in Defence of Israel. Pen & Sword Aviation (2005). ISBN 1-84415-156-5
- Aloni, Shlomo. "The Last of the Wooden Wonders: The DH Mosquito in Israeli Service". Air Enthusiast, No. 83, September–October 1999, pp. 30–51. ISSN 0143-5450
- Cull, Brian and Aloni, Shlomo, with Nicolle, David. Spitfires Over Israel. Grubb Street (1994). ISBN 0-948817-74-7
- Cull, Brian and Aloni, Shlomo, with Nicolle, David. Wings Over Suez. Grubb Street (1996). ISBN 1-898697-48-5
- ISBN 978-1-936891-28-3
- ISBN 978-07603-3630-4
External links
- Official website
- "The Israeli Air Force". NL: Scramble. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012.
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