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Israeli Air Force

Israeli Air Force
זרוע האויר והחלל
Israeli Air Force - Coat of arms.svg
Founded 28 May 1948
Country  Israel
Type Air force
Size 684 aircraft
Part of Badge of the Israel Defense Forces.svg Israel Defense Forces
Garrison/HQ HaKirya
Tel Aviv, Israel
Commanders
Commander Aluf Amir Eshel
Insignia
Air Force Ensign Flag of the Israeli Air Force.svg
Roundel IAF roundel.svg
Aviator badge Israeli Air Force Pilot Wings Brevet.gif
Aircraft flown
Attack Boeing F-15I Ra'am
Fighter McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
Patrol IAI Seascan, Eurocopter Panther
Reconnaissance IAI Eitam, Beechcraft RC-12D
Trainer Grob G-120, Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master, Beechcraft C-12 Huron, Bell 206
Transport Boeing 707-320, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion, Sikorsky S-70
Tanker Lockheed KC-130 Hercules, Boeing KC-707

The Israeli Air Force (IAF; Hebrew: זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל‎, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as חֵיל הָאֲוִיר‎, Kheil HaAvir, "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. As of May 2012Aluf Amir Eshel serves as the Air Force Commander.

The Israeli Air Force formed on May 28, 1948, using commandeered or donated civilian aircraft and obsolete and surplus World War II combat-aircraft. Eventually, more aircraft were procured, including Boeing B-17s, Bristol Beaufighters, de Havilland Mosquitoes and P-51D Mustangs. The Israeli Air Force played an important part in Operation Kadesh, Israel's part in the 1956 Suez Crisis. On June 5, 1967, the first day of the Six-Day War, the Israeli Air Force executed Operation Focus, crippling the opposing Arab air forces and attaining air supremacy for the remainder of the war. Shortly after the end of the Six-Day War, Egypt initiated the War of Attrition, and the Israeli Air Force undertook repeated bombings of strategic targets deep within enemy territory. On October 7, 1973, the IAF conducted Operation Tagar against Egyptian air bases of the Egyptian Air Defence Force. Although initially successful, with 10 bases hit, the urgency of the fighting on the Golan heights forced the operation's suspension.


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