Sin777er From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (7 years 1 month 3 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1004 times:
I think it's a very good AF, 4th after The US, Russia, and China. With F-15s and F-16s. But the US was mad at the IAF awhile ago because it Helped China?
Spectre From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2001, 81 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 month 3 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 973 times:
I think that their history speaks for its self. However what was the ability of the opposition?
I recntly saw a display by an IAF F-15 and it was awesome
Soren-a From Denmark, joined Sep 2001, 235 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 906 times:
It might be true that the IAF pilots are not the best trained in the world, but they are some of the most combat experienced when it comes to jet-fighters.
They have proven themself many times in combat, both during the many wars and during single raides, like the attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981 (if i remember correct).
According to an issue of Air Force Monthly a year or so ago, the IAF flew air-to-air traning missions against the US Navy. There is no official statment to the "kill-ratio", but IAF sources said it was something like 20:1 (can't remember the exact number) in favor of the IAF. The year after when the excise was held again, they flew in mix formations........
Spectre From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2001, 81 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 900 times:
There is nothing like combat to give a pilot the edge he/she requires. It doesn't matter how well you train, until you use that training for real, it is all theoretical.
Don't forget, UK, US & other European airforces have now got some combat experience.
Galaxy5 From United States, joined Mar 2000, 2034 posts, RR: 26 Reply 12, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 877 times:
from experience i must say the IAF is one of the best in the world , they have to be. they have some of the best equipment and have an outstanding training program, and get alot of actual combat time.
"damn, I didnt know prince could Ball like that" - Charlie Murphy
Whistler From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 868 times:
The IAF is probably the second best air force in the world. They have some of the best trained pilots in the world and some of the best equipment in the world. They have proven themselves in real combat many times, and probably will again.
Whistler From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 860 times:
For Fighters the IAF uses a F-15A/B/C/D/Es, upgraded F-42000s (I am not sure if they still have non upgraded F-4Es), and a huge amount of F-16s. I think they might still have Kafirs (similar to Mirage) and A-4s in reserve.
Whistler From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 867 times:
HN, no offense but Finland doesn't come close it Israel. You guys have a pretty small force with a few F/A-18s. Finland is more on the scale of Canada, Australia, and Belgium.
As for Russia and China, China has a huge military. They have many fighters but most of them are old Mig-21 and Mig-19 type planes, they only have a small amount of new fighters. Their training isn't all that good either (look at Wang Wei ).
Russia has some new prototypes but no money to buy anything. The planes they already have are falling apart because of money, same goes for their support facilities, bases etc. They havent recieved a new fighter in 7 years. Their pilots are underpaid and undertrained, most russian pilots get like 15-20 hours of flight a year (vs 150-200 in most Nato airforces). The RuAF is derelict.
LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5500 posts, RR: 10 Reply 17, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 860 times:
The IAF operates:
- F-15A/B/C/D's (50-70)
- F-15I's (25)
- F-16A/B Block 10/15 (125 originally purchased/received rom the US, some have crashed over the years)
- F-16C/D Block 30/40 (Block 30: 72 purchased, 48 F-16C's, 24 F-16D's, Block 40: 60 Purchased)
- F-4E/RF-4E (Approximately 150 originally purchased/received from the US, approximately 50 remain in service today, all upgraded to the F-4-2000 version by the IAI)
- (T)A-4H/N/E/F(J) (Approximately 200 originally purchased, at least 50 remain in service today, to be replaced soon)
LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5500 posts, RR: 10 Reply 19, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 846 times:
You're very welcome, Whistler!
BTW, IAF F-15A/B/C/D's and UH-60A/L's are in the middle of modernization programs. All of the IAF's CH-53's should have been updated to the CH-53-2000 version by now.
I'm not sure what Whistler meant when saying that "the F-15E is the F-15I in Israel", so, just in case, I would like to point out that although the F-15I is based on the F-15E, it is quite an improved a/c. It has more powerful engines, and Israeli-made avionics, among other things.
Also, if anyone is wondering, the rest of the IAF's fleet consists of light a/c, maritime patrol a/c, and the armed version of the MD500 Defender (plus a whole bunch of UAV's).
LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5500 posts, RR: 10 Reply 21, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 853 times:
Yep. The IAF ordered 102 (50 originally, 52 options were officially excercised in early September) F-16I's. Those a/c are based on the F-16D Block 52 (F100-PW-229 engines, just like the ones on the F-15I), but they share some features with the Block 60, the most obvious one are the conformal fuel tanks. Those a/c will also be equipped with unique Israeli avionics. The first a/c will be delivered next year. Deliveries will continue until the middle of 2006. Those a/c will replace the A-4's that are used for operational purposes (the A-4's that are used in the IAF's flight school would be replaced by a different a/c, probably a jet trainer like the Mb 339 or the BAe Hawk. Currently, the IAF's A-4's are also used for post-graduation fighter pilot training programs, the IAF's F-16A/B's are in the process of taking over those duties), and make up for the 25 or so F-4E's that were recently retired. The IAF's F-4-2000's are not supposed to leave service just yet, so they are very unlikely to be replaced by F-16's from this deal. After all the upgrades they went through, they can still fly for over a decade. Those F-4's are still very useful as ground attack a/c (especially as launch platforms for guided ammunition, stand-off weapons, and anti-radar weapons), reconaissance a/c, and for electronic warfare.
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