Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (חיל האוויר, Heil HaAvir) was formed on 28 May 1948 from the Haganah’s small air service and a few dozen second-hand fighters flown largely by foreign volunteers; it became the arm on which Israel has relied for its decisive opening blows, from Operation Focus in 1967 to the Iraqi reactor in 1981 and the Bekaa in 1982, and since October 2023 it has flown the longest and most contested campaigns in its history, over Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran, while ordering 100 F-35Is and its first F-15IAs.
The Israeli Air Force story: S-199s in 1948, three hours in June 1967 and the longest campaigns in its history
1947–1949: an air force assembled in the middle of a war
The air force grew out of Sherut Avir, the Haganah’s air service set up in 1947, which flew light aircraft for liaison and supply. It was formally established on 28 May 1948, two weeks after Israel declared independence, and went into action the next day: on 29 May four newly assembled Avia S-199s of 101 Squadron, Czechoslovak-built derivatives of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, strafed the Egyptian column at Ad Halom. On 3 June Modi Alon shot down two Egyptian C-47s that had bombed Tel Aviv, the service’s first air victories. The fleet was bought wherever it could be found: 25 S-199s from Czechoslovakia, around 60 Spitfire IXs, then B-17s, Mosquitoes, Beaufighters and P-51 Mustangs, many of them flown by Mahal volunteers who had served as aircrew in the Second World War. The IDF itself says the service was built on the structure of the Royal Air Force.
1950–1967: the French decades and three hours in June
In the 1950s Israel turned to France. Meteors were followed by the Dassault Ouragan and Mystère IV from 1955, the Vautour and Super Mystère, and from 1962 the Mirage IIIC. In the Suez campaign of 29 October 1956 Mustangs opened the operation and transports dropped paratroopers at the Mitla Pass; Israeli pilots shot down between seven and nine Egyptian jets for the loss of one aircraft in air combat, according to Wikipedia’s account. The defining day came on 5 June 1967. At 07:45 the air force under Maj. Gen. Mordechai Hod launched Operation Focus, sending all but 12 of its nearly 200 operational jets against Egyptian airfields. By Israel’s count 452 Arab aircraft were destroyed during the Six-Day War, 49 of them in the air; Israel lost 46 aircraft. Those are Israeli figures; no full independent count exists.
1967–1973: attrition, Soviet pilots and the missile shock of Yom Kippur
France embargoed arms to Israel after the war, and the fleet became American: A-4 Skyhawks from December 1967 and F-4E Phantoms from September 1969, while Israel built the Nesher and then the Kfir from Mirage 5 drawings obtained, as Wikipedia records, by its intelligence services. In the War of Attrition along the Suez Canal the air force flew deep raids into Egypt and on 30 July 1970 ambushed Soviet-flown MiG-21s, shooting down five; four Soviet pilots were killed. Three years later the Egyptian and Syrian surface-to-air missile belts nearly broke it. Official IAF losses in the Yom Kippur War of October 1973 were 102 aircraft, including 32 Phantoms and 53 Skyhawks; other accounts give up to 37 Phantoms, and Arab claims ran far higher. The lesson, that air defences had to be beaten systematically rather than flown around, shaped the next decade.
1976–1985: Entebbe, Osirak and the Bekaa
Transport and reach mattered as much as fighters. On the night of 3–4 July 1976 four C-130 Hercules flew commandos about 4,000 kilometres to Entebbe in Uganda, where 102 of 106 hostages were freed; three hostages and the commander, Yonatan Netanyahu, were killed, and Wikipedia’s account says 45 Ugandan soldiers died and 11 MiGs were destroyed. F-15s arrived from December 1976 and F-16s soon after. On 7 June 1981 eight F-16As escorted by six F-15As bombed Iraq’s Osirak reactor; the UN Security Council condemned the raid in Resolution 487, and historians still disagree whether it delayed or spurred Iraq’s weapons effort. On 9 June 1982, in Operation Mole Cricket 19, the air force destroyed 29 of 30 Syrian missile batteries in the Bekaa using drones, decoys and anti-radiation missiles, and Israel claims 82–86 Syrian aircraft shot down without an air-combat loss; Soviet media claimed 67 Israeli aircraft.
1990–2023: the Ra’am, the Sufa, the Adir and the long war between the wars
The home-built Lavi fighter was cancelled in 1987, and Israel instead bought American jets modified with Israeli systems: 25 F-15I Ra’am from 1998 and 102 F-16I Sufa delivered between 2004 and 2009. In the 2006 Lebanon war the air force flew more than 12,000 combat missions, and in Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008–09 more than 2,360 air strikes, according to the figures in Wikipedia’s article. On 6 September 2007 F-15Is and F-16Is destroyed the Al Kibar site in Syria; Israel acknowledged the raid only in March 2018, while Syria has said it was a non-nuclear military building. Through the 2010s the air force struck targets in Syria in what Israel called the campaign between the wars; on 10 February 2018 an F-16I was shot down by a Syrian missile, both crew surviving. The F-35I Adir reached Nevatim in December 2016, and in May 2018 Israel said it had become the first country to use the F-35 in combat.
October 2023–2026: Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iran
The Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,195 people in Israel by Israeli figures, opened the most intensive period in the service’s history. The air force has played a main role in the Gaza war, in which the Gaza Health Ministry reported more than 80,000 Palestinians killed by 2026; the International Court of Justice ordered provisional measures against Israel in 2024 and a UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that genocidal acts had been committed, findings Israel rejects. It killed Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on 27 September 2024, struck Yemen from July 2024 and Syria after the fall of Assad, and fought Iran in October 2024, in the Twelve-Day War of June 2025 and again from 28 February 2026, when the IDF said about 200 jets flew the largest strike sortie in its history. Iran has claimed to shoot down Israeli F-35s; the IDF denies losing any manned combat aircraft.
The Israeli Air Force in numbers
Dienst
- Inheemse naam
- חיל האווירHeil HaAvir, the name the IDF’s Hebrew site uses. Wikipedia also gives Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal (Air and Space Arm) as the formal name; that renaming was not confirmed on an official page checked
- Opgericht
- 28 May 1948Two weeks after independence, from Sherut Avir, the Haganah air service of 1947. First combat mission 29 May 1948
- Onderdeel van
- Israel Defense ForcesThe air force is an arm of the IDF, not a separate ministry service; the IDF says it was built on the structure of the Royal Air Force
- Hoofdkwartier
- HaKirya, Tel AvivThe IDF headquarters compound in Tel Aviv
- Commandant
- Maj. Gen. Omer TischlerSince 5 May 2026, succeeding Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar after about four years
- Vliegopleiding
- Three-year pilot courseAt the Flight School at Hatzerim; the IDF calls it the longest course in the IDF
Kracht
- Personeel
- About 34,000 active, 55,000 reserveWikipedia’s figure; the IDF does not publish a breakdown on the pages checked
- Vechters
-
- F-35I Adir — 48 (100 ordered)
- F-15A/B/C/D Baz — about 50–66
- F-15I Ra’am — 25 delivered
- F-16C/D Barak and F-16I Sufa — about 170–220, depending on whether two-seat F-16Ds are counted
Totals are Wikipedia’s inventory, apparently from FlightGlobal-type counts; other counts differ. Breaking Defense put the F-15 fleet at 50 F-15A–D plus 25 F-15I in January 2023
- Tankers, transport and special mission
-
- KC-46A Pegasus (Gideon) — 2 delivered by August 2026, 6 bought
- Boeing 707 tankers — 7
- KC-130H and C-130E/H/J Hercules — about 15
- Gulfstream G550 special mission — 6
- Beechcraft King Air B200 — 18
The KC-46A numbers are from the Israeli Ministry of Defence as reported on Wikipedia; the rest from Wikipedia’s inventory
- Helikopters
-
- AH-64A/D Apache — 48
- UH-60A/L Black Hawk — 49
- CH-53 (S-65C-3) — 21
- AW119Kx (training) — 8
Wikipedia’s inventory. 30 AH-64E and 12 CH-53K are on order
- Trainers
-
- M-346 Lavi — 30
- T-6A Texan II — 20
- Grob G 120A — 16
The M-346 replaced the A-4 Skyhawk, retired on 13 December 2015
- Luchtverdediging
- Air Defence DivisionGround-based air defence belongs to the air force; the IDF lists an Air Defence Division alongside the combat, helicopter, transport, unmanned aircraft and technical divisions
Infrastructuur
- Divisions
-
- Combat Division (F-15, F-16, F-35)
- Helicopter Division
- Transport Division
- Air Defence Division
- Unmanned Aircraft Division
- Technical Division
- Flight School, Hatzerim
As listed by the IDF’s Hebrew site
- F-35I home
- Nevatim, NegevThe first two F-35Is landed there on 12 December 2016; Lockheed Martin names Nevatim as the F-35 base. The first KC-46A arrived on 28 May 2026
- Special units
- Unit 669 and ShaldagCombat rescue and special operations units that belong to the air force, per the IDF
- Missile attacks on bases
- Nevatim hit in April and October 2024AP satellite analysis showed minor damage in April and four apparent impacts in October; the IDF said office and maintenance buildings were hit but no aircraft. Iran claimed advanced aircraft destroyed, which was not supported by evidence
- Base dispositions
- Not given hereIn line with operational security, this page does not list current squadrons by base beyond what the IDF or Lockheed Martin publish
How the Israeli Air Force is organised
One arm of the Israel Defense Forces, commanded from HaKirya in Tel Aviv, with Combat, Helicopter, Transport, Air Defence, Unmanned Aircraft and Technical Divisions and a Flight School at Hatzerim. Its fighter force is American-built with Israeli systems: 48 F-35I Adirs at Nevatim, F-15 Baz and F-15I Ra’am, and about 170–220 F-16C/D Barak and F-16I Sufa, with 52 more F-35Is and 25 F-15IAs on order. Ground-based air defence also belongs to the air force, as do the Unit 669 rescue and Shaldag special operations units.
Israeli Air Force Headquarters
An arm of the Israel Defense Forces rather than a separate service, at the IDF headquarters compound in Tel Aviv; the IDF says it was built on the structure of the Royal Air Force. Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler, approved by Defence Minister Israel Katz on 24 December 2025, took command from Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar on 5 May 2026. The IDF lists Combat, Helicopter, Transport, Air Defence, Unmanned Aircraft and Technical Divisions.
F-35I Adir squadrons
Part of the Combat Division. The first two Adirs landed at Nevatim on 12 December 2016, Lockheed Martin names it as Israel’s F-35 base, and the first squadron was declared operational on 6 December 2017. 48 are in service on Wikipedia’s inventory and 100 are ordered, after a fourth squadron of 25 was announced in May 2026. A breakdown by squadron is not given here.
101, 105 and 109 Squadrons
The three F-16C/D Barak squadrons, concentrated on one base after the IAF announced in March 2021 that 101 ‘First Fighter’ and 105 ‘Scorpion’ Squadrons would leave Hatzor and join 109 ‘The Valley’ Squadron, Key.Aero reported. 101 Squadron flew the air force’s first combat mission on 29 May 1948.
F-15 and F-16I squadrons
The F-15A–D Baz, 50–71 depending on the count, the 25 F-15I Ra’am strike aircraft of 69 Squadron, and the F-16I Sufa, 102 delivered between 2004 and 2009. 25 F-15IA were contracted on 29 December 2025, with deliveries planned from 2031. For operational security their current bases are not listed here.
Transport Division
46 Squadron formed at Nevatim with the KC-46A Gideon, the first of which landed on 28 May 2026; six have been bought and two delivered by August 2026, to replace the seven Boeing 707 Re’em tankers. The division also flies about 15 KC-130H and C-130 Hercules, six Gulfstream G550 special-mission aircraft and 18 King Air B200s, per Wikipedia’s inventory.
Helicopter Division
48 AH-64A/D Apaches, 49 UH-60A/L Black Hawks and 21 CH-53 Yasur heavy-lift helicopters on Wikipedia’s inventory, with 30 AH-64Es and 12 CH-53Ks on order. The combat rescue Unit 669 and the Shaldag special operations unit also belong to the air force, per the IDF.
Flight School
The IDF names Hatzerim as the home of the Flight School and calls its three-year pilot course the longest in the IDF. It trains on the M-346 Lavi, which replaced the A-4 Skyhawk in 2015, the T-6A Texan II, the Grob G 120A and, from 2024, the AW119Kx Ofer helicopter.
Air Defence and Unmanned Aircraft Divisions
Ground-based air defence belongs to the air force, which the IDF lists with an Air Defence Division and an Unmanned Aircraft Division. Drone fleet sizes are not published; two Hermes 900s were shot down by Iranian air defences in the Twelve-Day War of June 2025, per Wikipedia.
What the Israeli Air Force flies today
Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.
| Type | Rol | In dienst | Sinds | Eenheden | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35I AdirIn dienst | Stealth multirole gevechtsvliegtuig | 48 | 2016 | — | 48 in service on Wikipedia’s inventory, 52 more on order.
MeerOrders grew from about 20 in 2010 to 50 by November 2016, 75 with a third squadron in 2023–24, and 100 when a fourth squadron of 25 was announced in May 2026. |
|
| Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15I Ra’amIn dienst | Long-range strike fighter | 25 | 1998 | — | 21 ordered on 27 January 1994 and four more in November 1995; 25 built 1996–1998. | |
| McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B/C/D BazIn dienst | luchtsuperioriteitsjager | — | 1976 | — | 50–71.
MeerBreaking Defense counted 50 F-15A–D in January 2023; Wikipedia’s F-15 article gives 38 A, 6 B, 16 C and 11 D (71) for 2022; the air force article gives 66 F-15s in a row that also mixes in the F-15I. |
|
| Lockheed Martin F-16I SufaIn dienst | Multirole strike fighter | — | 2004 | — | 102 delivered between 2004 and 2009 under contracts of 14 January 2000 and 19 December 2001. One was shot down on 10 February 2018; a current figure was not published. | |
| General Dynamics F-16C/D BarakIn dienst | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | — | — | 75 Block 30 C/Ds (Peace Marble II) and 60 Block 40 (Peace Marble III, 1991–93) delivered.
MeerWikipedia’s inventory lists 173 F-16C/I and 49 F-16D together, a count that cannot be split by version from the sources checked. |
||
| Boeing KC-46A Pegasus (Gideon)In dienst | Tanker en transport | 2 | 2026 | — | Six bought so far, per the Ministry of Defence in April 2026. The first arrived at Nevatim on 28 May 2026 and the second was received in August 2026. | |
| Boeing 707 tanker (Re’em)In dienst | Bijtanken in de lucht | 7 | — | Seven KC-707s on Wikipedia’s inventory; Wikipedia also lists two 707 Phalcon airborne early warning aircraft. | ||
| Lockheed C-130E/H/J and KC-130H HerculesIn dienst | Tactisch transport en tankwagen | 15 | — | About 15: seven KC-130H and eight C-130E/H/J, per Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Gulfstream G550 (special mission)In dienst | Airborne early warning and reconnaissance | 6 | — | Six in all on Wikipedia’s inventory; one more on order. | ||
| Beechcraft Super King Air B200In dienst | Reconnaissance and transport | 18 | — | 18 in all on Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Boeing AH-64A/D ApacheIn dienst | Aanvalshelikopter | 48 | — | 48 AH-64A/D on Wikipedia’s inventory; 30 AH-64E on order. | ||
| Sikorsky UH-60A/L Black HawkIn dienst | Hulphelikopter | 49 | — | 49 on Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Sikorsky CH-53 (S-65C-3) YasurIn dienst | Heavy-lift helicopter | 21 | — | 21 on Wikipedia’s inventory; 12 CH-53K on order as replacements. | ||
| Leonardo (Alenia Aermacchi) M-346 LaviIn dienst | Geavanceerde straaltrainer | 30 | 2014 | — | 30 on Wikipedia’s inventory. | |
| Beechcraft T-6A Texan IIIn dienst | Basistrainer | 20 | — | 20 on Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Grob G 120A-1In dienst | Hoofdtrainer | 16 | — | 16 on Wikipedia’s inventory. | ||
| Leonardo AW119KxIn dienst | Helikoptertrainer | 8 | — | 8 on Wikipedia’s inventory; 4 more on order. | ||
| Elbit Hermes 900In dienst | Unmanned reconnaissance and strike | — | — | Numbers not published. Two were shot down by Iranian air defences during the Twelve-Day War, per Wikipedia. |
Op bestelling
| Type | Besteld | Eerste levering | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35I AdirOp bestelling | 52 | 2016 | 52 still to come of 100 ordered: a third squadron took the total to 75 in 2023–24, and a fourth squadron of 25 was announced in early May 2026.
MeerValues and delivery dates for the latest batch were not confirmed on an official page checked. |
|
| Boeing F-15IA (F-15EX derivative)Op bestelling | 25 | 2031 | Letter of request January 2023; the US authorised up to 50 in August 2024.
MeerThe contract for 25 with an option for 25 more was signed on 29 December 2025, worth up to $8.5 billion, with deliveries planned from 2031 to 2035 (The Aviationist). The Ministry of Defence had put the cost of the 25 jets at $5.2 billion. |
|
| Boeing KC-46A PegasusOp bestelling | 4 | 2026 | Six bought so far per the Ministry of Defence (April 2026), two delivered by August 2026. | |
| Boeing AH-64E ApacheOp bestelling | 30 | On order per Wikipedia’s inventory; contract date not confirmed. | ||
| Sikorsky CH-53K King StallionOp bestelling | 12 | To replace the CH-53 Yasur; per Wikipedia’s inventory. |
Every type the Israeli Air Force has retired
21 types, from the Avia S-199 to the General Dynamics F-16A/B Netz. De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.
| Type | Rol | Piek | Geserveerd | Vervangen door | Notities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics F-16A/B Netz | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | — | 1980–2016 | — | 75 under Peace Marble I from 1980 and 50 US-surplus aircraft in 1994. | |
| Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (Ayit) | Attack and later advanced training | 263 | 1967–2015 | M-346 | 217 bought plus 46 transferred during the 1973 airlift, about 263 in all. | |
| Bell AH-1 Cobra (Tzefa) | Aanvalshelikopter | — | 1975–2013 | — | — | |
| McDonnell Douglas F-4E/RF-4E Phantom II (Kurnass) | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1969–2004 | — | About 220 delivered 1969–1976 plus 36 during the 1973 airlift. 112 were still in service at the end of the century. | |
| Hughes (MD) 500 Defender | Light attack helicopter | — | 1979–2001 | — | — | |
| IAI Kfir | Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig | — | 1975–1996 | F-16 | More than 220 built, including exports. | |
| Aerospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon | Heavy-lift helicopter | — | 1966–1991 | CH-53 | — | |
| Dassault Mirage IIICJ Shahak | Onderschepper | — | 1962–1986 | — | The mainstay of 1967. Twelve Mirage IIICs and four Phantoms flew the Rimon 20 ambush of 30 July 1970. | |
| IAI Nesher | Vechter | — | 1971–1986 | — | An Israeli-built Mirage 5, produced after France withheld 50 Mirage 5Js it had sold. | |
| Dassault Super Mystère B2 | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1958–1976 | — | — | |
| Dassault Ouragan | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1955–1971 | — | Flew in 1956 and 1967. | |
| Dassault Mystère IVA | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1955–1971 | — | — | |
| Sud Aviation Vautour | Bomber and interceptor | — | 1957–1971 | — | — | |
| Gloster-meteoriet | Straaljager | — | 1953–1970 | — | The air force’s first jet. | |
| North American P-51D Mustang | Jachtbommenwerper | — | 1948–1961 | — | Mustangs opened the Suez campaign on 29 October 1956. | |
| Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress | Bommenwerper | — | 1948–1958 | — | — | |
| de Havilland Mosquito | Jachtbommenwerper en verkenningsvliegtuig | — | 1948–1958 | — | — | |
| Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXE | Vechter | 60 | 1948–1956 | — | About 60, per Wikipedia. | |
| Avia S-199 | Vechter | 25 | 1948–1950 | — | 25 bought from Czechoslovakia; 15 were ferried from Zatec for 101 Squadron. | |
| Bristol Beaufighter | Strike fighter | — | 1948–1948 | — | — | |
| Fouga CM.170 Magister | Trainer en lichte aanval | — | 1957– | — | Flew attack missions in 1967.
MeerWikipedia’s aircraft list gives 1957–1967 for it; its later training career and final retirement date were not confirmed in the sources checked, so no end year is given. |
Where the Israeli Air Force flies from
Zwarte pinnen geven actieve bases aan, holle pinnen de vliegvelden die gesloten zijn. Ramat David, Tel Nof, Hatzor and Sde Dov were left behind by the British; Hatzerim, opened in 1966, was the first base Israel built for itself; Nevatim, Ramon and Ovda were built to replace Etzion and Refidim, handed back to Egypt with Sinai under the 1979 peace treaty. In line with operational security, current squadrons are shown only where the IDF, Lockheed Martin or published reporting already place them. Entries with no published coordinates carry no pin.
| Baseren | ICAO | Status | Startbaan | Eenheden en vliegtuigen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatzerim AirbaseSouthern District | LLHB | Actief | 10R/28L2.750 m10L/28R2.440 m15/331.830 m |
|
| Hatzor AirbaseSouthern District | LLHS | Actief | 05/232,409 m11R/29L2,451 m11L/29R2.440 m |
|
| Nevatim AirbaseSouthern District | LLNV | Actief | 08L/26R2600 m08R/26L3.350 m07/253.900 m |
|
| Ovda AirbaseSouthern District | LLOV | Actief | 03L/21R2600 m03R/21L3.000 m | — |
| Palmachim AirbaseCentral District | LLPL | Actief | 03R/21L2.403 m03L/21R1.480 m13/31803 m |
|
| Ramat David AirbaseNorthern District | LLRD | Actief | 09/272.606 m11/292,431 m15/332.406 m |
|
| Ramon AirbaseSouthern District | LLRM | Actief | 07R/25L3.010 m07L/25R2700 m |
|
| Tel Nof AirbaseCentral District | LLEK | Actief | 15R/33L2,388 m15L/33R2,387 m18/362.750 m09/271.830 m |
|
Geen enkele luchtmachtbasis voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Who is stationed where in the Israeli Air Force
Vliegende eenheden per basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. Israeli squadrons are known by number and nickname — 101 ‘First Fighter’, which flew the first combat mission in 1948, and 117 ‘First Jet’, which formed on Meteors in 1953 — and many have moved between bases or been disbanded and reformed. The RAF squadrons that flew from Mandate airfields are listed and marked as not Israeli. Most squadrons’ present bases are left out for operational security; where a past base rests on Wikipedia alone, the entry says so.
- 101e SquadronFirst Fighter · Fighter squadron · active
- F-16C Barak
- 105 SquadronScorpion · Fighter squadron · active
- F-16D Barak
- 109 SquadronThe Valley · Fighter squadron · active
- F-16D Barak
- 117 Squadron1953–2020
- Gloster Meteor F.8, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, General Dynamics F-16A/B
- No. 32 Squadron, Royal Air Force—
- Supermarine Spitfire
- IAF Flight Academy (Flight School)Vliegschool · actief
- Leonardo M-346 Lavi, Beechcraft T-6A Texan II, Grob G 120A Snunit, Leonardo AW119Kx Ofer
- F-35I Adir squadronsJachtvliegtuigeskaders · actief
- Lockheed Martin F-35I Adir
- 46 SquadronTanker squadron · active
- Boeing KC-46A Pegasus (Gideon)
- 116 Squadron1983–2002
- Douglas A-4N Skyhawk (Ayit)
- 140 Squadron1986–2013
- General Dynamics F-16A/B Netz
- 101e Squadron1948–1948
- Avia S-199
- 119 Squadron1957–
- Gloster Meteor NF.13, Sud Aviation Vautour, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
- 116 Squadron—
- Douglas A-4H/N Skyhawk
- 101e Squadron1948–2021
- Avia S-199, Supermarine Spitfire, North American P-51 Mustang, Dassault Mystère IVA, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Nesher, IAI Kfir, F-16C/D Barak
- 105 Squadron1950–2021
- Supermarine Spitfire, North American P-51 Mustang, Dassault Super Mystère B2, McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II, F-16C/D Barak
- 113 Squadron1955–1986
- Dassault Ouragan, IAI Nesher, IAI Kfir
- 140 Squadron1982–1985
- Douglas A-4H/N Skyhawk
- 160 Squadron1975–2013
- Bell AH-1 Cobra (Tzefa)
Geen enkel apparaat voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Israeli Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
Sherut Avir, the Haganah’s air service, is set up.
28 May: the Israeli Air Force is formally established. 29 May: first combat mission, by S-199s at Ad Halom. 3 June: Modi Alon scores the first air victories.
29 October: Mustangs and transports open the Sinai campaign; paratroopers are dropped at the Mitla Pass.
5 June, 07:45: Operation Focus. Israel claims 452 Arab aircraft destroyed in the war for 46 of its own.
September: the first F-4E Phantoms arrive, after A-4 Skyhawks from December 1967.
30 July: Operation Rimon 20; five Soviet-flown MiG-21s shot down. 7 August: ceasefire ends the War of Attrition.
6–25 October: Yom Kippur War; official IAF losses 102 aircraft.
3–4 July: C-130s fly the Entebbe rescue. December: the first F-15s arrive.
7 June: Operation Opera destroys Iraq’s Osirak reactor.
9 June: Operation Mole Cricket 19 over the Bekaa Valley.
The F-15I Ra’am enters service; the F-16I Sufa follows in 2004.
6 September: the Al Kibar site in Syria is destroyed; Israel acknowledges it in March 2018.
12 December: the first two F-35I Adir land at Nevatim. 26 December: the last F-16A/B retire.
10 February: an F-16I is shot down by a Syrian missile. May: Israel says it is the first to use the F-35 in combat.
7 October: the Hamas-led attack on Israel; the Gaza war begins.
July–December: strikes on Yemen, the killing of Hassan Nasrallah (27 September), Operation Days of Repentance against Iran (26 October), and strikes across Syria after the fall of Assad (8 December).
13–24 June: the Twelve-Day War with Iran. 29 December: contract for 25 F-15IA.
28 February: Operation Roaring Lion against Iran. 5 May: Omer Tischler takes command. 28 May: the first KC-46A arrives.
Every war the Israeli Air Force has fought
Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.
- The 1948 Arab–Israeli War 1948–1949 Built an air force in combat: ground attack against the Egyptian advance, air defence of Tel Aviv, bombing and transport
- De Suezcrisis 1956 Opened the campaign, dropped paratroopers at the Mitla Pass and Et-Tur, attacked Egyptian forces and fought Egyptian jets
- The Six-Day War 1967 Destroyed most of the Egyptian air force on the ground in the opening hours, then the Jordanian and Syrian air forces, and supported the ground war
- The War of Attrition 1967–1970 Bombed Egyptian positions and, in January 1970, strategic targets deep inside Egypt; fought Egyptian and Soviet-flown fighters and Soviet-built SAM batteries
- The Yom Kippur War 1973 Close support and interdiction against dense Egyptian and Syrian SAM belts, air defence, and strikes on airfields
Israeli Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Israeli Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.
Everything people ask about the Israeli Air Force
What is the Israeli Air Force called in Hebrew?
When was the Israeli Air Force founded?
What fighter jets does the Israeli Air Force fly?
Who commands the Israeli Air Force?
What was Operation Focus?
How many aircraft did Israel lose in the Yom Kippur War?
What was Operation Opera?
Did the Israeli Air Force fly the Entebbe rescue?
Has Iran shot down Israeli F-35s?
Where is the Israeli Air Force based?
Read the aircraft the Israeli Air Force flew
Elk type met een pagina in het Boek der Dieren, eerst op basis van de periode dat het in dienst was, daarna op basis van het jaar waarin het de vloot verliet.
Alle feiten gecontroleerd
- IDF: Israeli Air Force (English mini-site)Established 1948 on the structure of the British air force; roles.
- IDF: Heil HaAvir (Hebrew unit page)Hebrew name; divisions; Flight School at Hatzerim; three-year course; Units 669 and Shaldag.
- Times of Israel: Katz okays next heads of air force, navy after months of delay (24 December 2025)Tischler approved as air force commander.
- Times of Israel: At handover ceremony, outgoing Air Force chief calls for external Oct. 7 inquiry (5 May 2026)Bar to Tischler handover.
- The Aviationist: Israel signs F-15IA deal (1 January 2026)Contract of 29 December 2025, up to $8.5 billion, deliveries 2031–2035.
- Breaking Defense: Israel formally requests 25 F-15EX (January 2023)50 F-15A–D and 25 F-15I in service; F-15I upgrade plan.
- Lockheed Martin: F-35 IsraelAdir name, operational December 2017, Nevatim.
- International Court of Justice: South Africa v. Israel (case 192)Provisional measures orders of 26 January, 28 March and 24 May 2024.
- UN OCHA oPt: Humanitarian Situation Report, 25 September 2026Gaza deaths since the October 2025 ceasefire, per Gaza Ministry of Health.
- Airwars: Israel and Gaza 2023Incidents of alleged civilian harm.
- Israeli Airbases (US Army Corps of Engineers historical vignette)Construction of Ramon and Ovda, 1979–1982, about $1 billion, inaugurated May 1982.
- Israel Receives First KC-46A “Gideon” Refueling AircraftIsrael Defense, 28 May 2026; landing at Nevatim; 46 Squadron; commander’s quotes.
- Israel Set To Move Two F-16 Units To Ramat DavidKey.Aero, March 2021, reporting the IAF announcement of 10 March.
- Israel v the RAFSpyflight; the three Egyptian raids on RAF Ramat David on 22 May 1948, from RAF accounts.
- Late Israeli PM’s grandson confirmed dead in F-16 crashF-16.net, 28 March 2000.
- The base from which Gallant announced a ‘new phase’ in the war (Hebrew)Ynet, September 2024; Hezbollah and IDF figures for the attack of 21–22 September 2024.
- Israeli Air Force MuseumTourist Israel; over 150 aircraft; opening days.
- The Blue Bird legendYnet, 2007; Munir Redfa’s MiG-21 landing at Hatzor on 16 August 1966 and its later display at Hatzerim.
- IDF concludes November training plane crash likely due to low altitude stallThe Times of Israel, 17 March 2021.
- The IAF receives new training helicopters: ‘Ofer’ replaces ‘Sayfan’Israel Defense, 28 November 2024; AW119Kx at the Flight School, Hatzerim.
- A new helicopter at the Air Force Flight Academy (Hebrew)Israel Defense, 28 May 2024; first flight of the AW119Kx at the Flight Academy.
- After a decade Israel admits: We bombed Syria nuclear reactor in 2007The Jerusalem Post, 21 March 2018; date of the acknowledgment (article body not retrieved).
- Air force officer admits mistake in not moving jets above ground during floodThe Times of Israel, 13 January 2020; eight F-16s damaged in an underground hangar at Hatzor.
- IDF soldiers killed in Romania helicopter crashYnet, July 2010; CH-53 crash in Romania, six Israelis and one Romanian killed.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Major Ofer, Israeli Air Force רס”ן עופר, חיל האוויר הישראלי / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: דוידי ורדי / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5) · Photo: Colin Cooke Photo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Yuvalr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit photographer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photos: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Photo: user:Nehemia G / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Roy Kur / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Oren Rozen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Mosquito. Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Luchtmacht / Photo Prints, Royal Netherlands Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Beaufighter. [[User:Ad Meskens|Ad Meskens You are free to use this picture for any purpose as / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Royal Air Force Meteor. Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Oren Rozen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Rob Schleiffert from Holland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Israeli Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Benno Rothenberg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: MathKnight / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Erezs (Erezms) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)