115 Squadron (Israel)

Last updated

115 Squadron
IAF Squadron 115.png
Red Squadron logo
Active1954–1958, 1969–1994, 2005–
CountryFlag of Israel.svg  Israel
BranchIsrael Air Force Flag.svg  Israeli Air Force
RoleAggressor
Garrison/HQ Ovda
Nickname(s)Flying Dragon / Red Squadron
Engagements Suez Crisis
War of Attrition
Yom Kippur War
1982 Lebanon War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Giora Romm
Insignia
Squadron Patch IAF Squadron 115 second variant.jpg
Aircraft flown
Fighter 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.

Contents

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 A-4 Skyhawk squadron. Its first three jets arrived at the port of Ashdod on March 20, and on March 28 the squadron flew its first flight. [3] It soon achieved operational capability. On April 22 it flew its first combat sortie in the ongoing War of Attrition, against a radar station in Jordan. [2]

In July it participated in operation Boxer, during which one of its aircraft was hit but managed to make a forced landing at Rephidim. The squadron participated in the Priha operations. During operation Rhodes, the January 1970 assault on the island of Shadwan, a squadron A-4 sunk an Egyptian torpedo boat. [4] Altogether 115 Squadron flew about 1,000 sorties throughout the war. [2]

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 close air support (CAS) to air base strikes and SEAD. The squadron suffered its first fatalities of the war on October 7, when Shimon Ash went missing during a strike against Egyptian anti-aircraft artillery, while Israel Rozenblum was killed on the Golan Heights. Two more aircraft was lost on the following day, both on the Egyptian front, with Zvi Bashan killed and Zvi Rozen becoming a prisoner of war. [6] Another pilot, Mario Shaked, was lost on October 9. Two more aircraft were lost on October 11, with Yizhak Ofer killed on the Golan Heights and Schneider becoming a POW. [7] These were the last of 115 Squadron's losses during the war, out of 750 sorties flown, a loss rate of 0.9 percent. [8]

The squadron was back in action pounding Palestinian positions in southern Lebanon during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It saw extensive action during Operation Peace for Galilee, the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. On June 6, 1982, it lost one of its aircraft while on a strike near Beaufort Castle, with pilot Aharon Achiaz falling into Palestinian captivity. [9] The squadron relocated to Nevatim in 1984, continuing to fly sporadic attacks against Lebanese targets during the subsequent decade, flying 38 sorties during Operation Accountability of April 1993. [2] [10] It was disbanded on July 21, 1994. Some of its aircraft went into storage, while others were dispersed among remaining IAF A-4 Squadrons. [2]

Aggressor Squadron

An F-16A of 115 Squadron Squadron 115 of Israel Air Force 281.jpg
An F-16A of 115 Squadron

In March 2005 the squadron was reformed at Ovda as the IAF's Advanced Training Center, the initiative of former IAF commander-in-chief Eliezer Shkedy. Operating both F-16s and AH-1 Cobras, the unit is tasked with emulating enemy forces and tactics, creating scenarios as close as possible to what pilots may face in war. Holding training sessions for IAF combat squadrons, the squadron also operates a surface-to-air section, simulating enemy air defences. [2] [11] [12] It is not an operational unit, though all its pilots have emergency postings and its aircraft are equipped to serve as combat aircraft in the event of war. [13] [14]

Modelled on USAF aggressor squadrons, the unit offers its services to other nations. [13] In May 2006 it trained with the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 101st Fighter Squadron. [14] In 2008, the squadron provided desert training for 55 Czech Air Force pilots prior to their deployment to Afghanistan. As a tribute to Czechoslovak military assistance to Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the training session was named "Etzion", once the codename for the Czech airfield at Žatec from which a great deal of aircraft and material were dispatched to Israel. [15] [16]

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

  1. 1 2 Norton (2004), pp. 130–132
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The "Flying Dragon" Squadron" (in Hebrew). Israeli Air Force official website. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  3. Aloni (2009), p. 17
  4. Aloni (2009), pp. 21–24
  5. 1 2 Aloni (2009), pp. 31–34
  6. Aloni (2009), pp. 35–46, 92
  7. Aloni (2009), pp. 47–48, 92
  8. Aloni (2009), p. 72
  9. Aloni (2009), pp. 80–83
  10. Aloni (2009), pp. 86–87
  11. Pfeffer, Anshel (March 19, 2010). "New IAF training unit to reach skies without leaving ground". Haaretz. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
  12. 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.
  13. 1 2 Aloni, Shlomo (September 2010). "Israeli Reds". Air Forces Monthly (269).
  14. 1 2 Weiss, Raanan (September 2010). "Dogfighting over the Dunes". Air Forces Monthly (269).
  15. Hoffman, Tatiana (December 21, 2008). "What are the Czech pilots doing in Israel?" (in Hebrew). Israeli Channel 2 News. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
  16. "Czech Helicopters over the Negev Desert" (in Czech). Retrieved July 17, 2010.
  17. "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.
  18. "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.
  19. Rosenfeld, Shai; Tocatly, Karen (March 14, 2012). "Joint Exercise with Polish Air Force". Israeli Air Force. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  20. Livnat, Yael (March 14, 2012). "לראשונה: חילות האוויר של ישראל ופולין קיימו אימון משותף" (in Hebrew). Israel Defense Forces. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  21. Biton, Edeb (April 4, 2017). "The "Red" Squadron has Integrated the "Barak"". Israeli Air Force official. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  22. "Cooperation over competition: Eight nations fly in Israel's largest-ever air drill". November 28, 2017.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli Air Force</span> Aerial service branch of the Israel Defense Forces

The Israeli Air Force 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, Aluf Tomer Bar has been serving as the Air Force commander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas A-4 Skyhawk</span> Carrier-based attack aircraft

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company, and later, McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated A4D under the United States Navy's pre-1962 designation system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">69 Squadron (Israel)</span> Israeli Air Force squadron formed 1948

The 69 "Hammers" Squadron is an Israeli Air Force squadron operating the F-15I Thunder out of Hatzerim. It was formed in July 1948 to operate three B-17 Flying Fortresses which the fledgling Israeli Air Force had acquired in the United States. The squadron flew the Flying Fortress, an aircraft credited with propelling the IAF into the realm of modern aerial warfare, during both the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and 1956 Suez Crisis. Disbanded in early 1957, 69 Squadron reformed in 1969 to fly the F-4 Phantom II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mystère IV</span> Fighter-bomber aircraft family, first transonic aircraft of the French Air Force

The Dassault MD.454 Mystère IV is a 1950s French fighter-bomber aircraft, the first transonic aircraft to enter service with the French Air Force. It was used in large-scale combat in the Israeli Air Force during the 1967 Six Day War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tel Nof Airbase</span> Main base of the Israeli Air Force

Tel Nof Airbase, also known as Air Force Base 8, is the oldest and main base of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) located 5 km south of Rehovot, Israel. Tel Nof houses two strike fighter, two helicopter and a UAV squadron. Also located on the base are the Flight Test Center and several special units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), among others Unit 669 and the Paratroopers Brigade training center and its headquarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovda Airbase</span> Israeli Air Force Base

Ovda Airbase is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base, located in the very south of Israel, around 40 kilometers north of Eilat, in a large plain of the southern Negev desert. It has two runways with lengths of 3,000 and 2,600 meters and a heliport. There are currently (2024) no operational fighter jets or helicopters stationed there, but the so-called "Aggressor Squadron" for pilot training. The international military aviation exercise Blue Flag takes place there every two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramon Airbase</span> Israeli Air Force base near Mitzpe Ramon

Ramon Airbase is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base in the Negev desert, 50 km south of Beersheba and 20 km northwest of the town Mitzpe Ramon. The base and the town got their names from the huge "erosion crater" Makhtesh Ramon south of it. The base is also titled Kanaf 25, it was formerly known as Matred.

Operation Boxer was an aerial offensive undertaken by the Israeli Air Force along the Suez Canal in July 1969. The first major IAF operation since the 1967 Six-Day War, the operation signaled a new phase in the War of Attrition.

Rimon 20 was the code name of an aerial battle in 1970 which pitted the Israeli Air Force directly against Soviet fighter pilots stationed in Egypt during the War of Attrition. Israel planned the dogfight in order to send a message that it would no longer tolerate direct Soviet military involvement in its conflict with Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Raviv</span> 1969 battle of the War of Attrition

Operation Raviv, also known in Egypt as the Zaafarana accident or the Ten-Hour War, was a mounted raid conducted by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Egypt's Red Sea coast during the War of Attrition. Taking place on September 9, 1969, Raviv was the sole major ground offensive undertaken by the IDF against Egypt throughout the war. The operation saw Israeli forces masquerading as Egyptian troops and using captured Arab armor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giora Romm</span> Israeli Air Force general (1945–2023)

Giora Romm was an Israeli military officer who served as deputy commander of the Israeli Air Force (IAF), Israel's military attaché in the United States and as director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. Romm was the IAF's first jet ace, scoring five kills during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1969, during the War of Attrition, Romm was shot down and spent several months in Egyptian captivity. He commanded the IAF's 115 Squadron through the intensive fighting of the 1973 Yom Kippur War and participated in Operation Wooden Leg, the 1985 raid against PLO headquarters in Tunisia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amir Nachumi</span>

Amir Nachumi is a retired Israeli Air Force Brigadier General who, in the course of his career, shot down 14 enemy aircraft, making him one of Israel's top flying aces. He scored 7 aerial kills in the F-4 Phantom II during the Yom Kippur War, 7 in the F-16 Fighting Falcon in fighting over Lebanon, and participated in Operation Opera, the 1981 raid that destroyed an Iraqi nuclear reactor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Negev mid-air collision</span> Collision between two Israeli Air Force aircraft

In May 1983, two Israeli Air Force aircraft, an F-15 Eagle and an A-4 Skyhawk, collided in mid-air during a training exercise over the Negev region, in Israel. Notably, the F-15,, managed to land safely at a nearby airbase, despite having its right wing almost completely sheared off in the collision. The lifting body properties of the F-15, together with its overabundant engine thrust, allowed the pilot to achieve this unique feat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modi Alon</span> Israeli fighter pilot

Mordechai "Modi" Alon was an Israeli fighter pilot who with the formation of the Israeli Air Force in May 1948, assumed command of its first fighter squadron. Flying the Avia S-199, Alon participated in the IAF's first combat sortie on 29 May 1948, and on 3 June scored the IAF's very first aerial victories, downing a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force C-47s over Tel Aviv.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">147 Squadron (Israel)</span> Military unit

147 Squadron, often referred to as the Flying Ibex or Goring Ram squadron, is a former unit of the Israeli Air Force. Fielding IAF Flight Academy aircraft, it flew the Boeing-Stearman Kaydet during the 1956 Suez Crisis and the Fouga Magister during the 1967 Six-Day War, in the course of which it suffered six fatalities. Between 1978 and 1986 it flew the A-4 Skyhawk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galilee Squadron</span>

The Galilee Squadron was an aerial unit established by the Yeshuv during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War to assist the Jewish war effort in northern Palestine. Initially a part of the Sherut Avir, the aerial arm of the Haganah, it was absorbed into the fledgling Israeli Air Force (IAF) upon the latter's formation on 28 May 1948. The unit served throughout the war, following which it was amalgamated with several other units to form the IAF's 100 Squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Israeli Air Force</span>

The History of the Israel Air Force begins in May 1948, shortly after the formation of the State of Israel. Following Israel's declaration of independence on May 14, its pre-state national institutions transformed into the agencies of a state, and on May 26, 1948, the Israeli Air Force was formed. Beginning with a small collection of light aircraft, the force soon transformed into a comprehensive fighting force. It has since participated in several wars and numerous engagements, becoming what has been described as "The mightiest air force in the Middle East".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">149 Squadron (Israel)</span> Military unit

149 Squadron, often referred to as the Smashing or Shattering Parrot squadron is a former unit of the Israeli Air Force. Active from 1976 to 1991, the squadron flew the A-4 Skyhawk and IAI Kfir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ran Goren</span> Israeli fighter pilot and Major General

Ran Goren is a retired fighter pilot and Major General of the IDF, former Deputy Commander of the Air Force and Head of the Manpower Directorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rami Harpaz</span> Fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force

Rami Harpaz was a colonel in the Israel Defence Forces and a prisoner of war during the War of Attrition. Harpaz served as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force (IAF) and spent three and a half years in an Egyptian prison. Following his release, he returned to the Air Force, and came to command the IAF base at Ramat David.

References