List of aircraft of the Israeli Air Force:
Aircraft highlighted in blue are currently in service.
List of aircraft of the Israeli Air Force:
Aircraft highlighted in blue are currently in service.
| Designation | Entered Service | Left Service | Hebrew designation |
|---|---|---|---|
 Avia S-199 | 1948 | 1950 | Sakin (Knife) סכין |
 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress | 1948 | 1958 | |
 Bristol Beaufighter | 1948 | 1948 | |
 Dassault Mirage IIIC | 1962 | 1986 | Shahak (Sky) שחק |
| Dassault Mirage 5 | n/a | n/a | 50 ordered 1966, not delivered |
| Dassault Mystère IV | 1955 | 1971 | |
| Dassault Ouragan | 1955 | 1971 | |
| Dassault Super Mystère B2 | 1958 | 1976 | Sambad (Hebrew acronym of "Super Mystère B Deux") סמב"ד |
| Fouga CM.170 Magister | 1957 | 1967 | Tzukit (Monticola) צוקית |
| de Havilland Mosquito | 1948 | 1958 | |
| Douglas A-4 Skyhawk | 1968 | 2015 | Ayit (Eagle) עיט |
| General Dynamics F-16A/B | 1980 | 2016 | Netz (Hawk) נץ |
| General Dynamics F-16C/D | 1987 | - | Barak (Lightning) ברק |
| Gloster Meteor | 1953 | 1970 | |
 IAI Kfir | 1975 | 1996 | Kfir (Lion Cub) כפיר |
| IAI Nesher | 1971 | 1986 | Nesher (Vulture) נשר |
| IAI Lavi | 1986 | 1987 | Lavi (Lion) לביא |
| Lockheed Martin F-16I | 2004 | - | Sufa (Storm) סופה |
| Lockheed Martin F-35I | 2016 | - | Adir (Mighty) אדיר |
| McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B/C/D | 1976 | - | Baz (Falcon) בז |
| McDonnell Douglas F-15I | 1998 | - | Ra'am (Thunder) רעם |
| McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II | 1969 | 2004 | Kurnass (Sledgehammer) קורנס |
| North American P-51 Mustang | 1948 | 1961 | |
| Sud Aviation S.O. 4050 Vautour IIA/N | 1957 | 1971 | |
| Supermarine Spitfire | 1948 | 1956 | Yorek יורק (Spitter) [1] |
| Designation | Year | Year | Hebrew designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airspeed Oxford/Consul | 1949 | 1961 | |
 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master | 2014 | - | Lavi (young lion) לביא |
| Avro Anson | 1949 | 1961 | |
| Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet | 1948 | 1967 | |
 de Havilland Canada Chipmunk | 1949 | 1950 | |
 Fokker Instructor | 1949 | 1954 | |
| Fouga Magister | 1960 | 2010 | Tzukit (Monticola) צוקית |
 Grob G 120 | 2002 | - | Snunit (Swallow) סנונית |
| Hawker-Beechcraft T-6 Texan II | 2009 | - | Efroni (Lark) עפרוני |
| North American T-6 Texan | 1948 | 1974 | |
| Piper Super Cub | 1948 | 2002 | |
| Temco Buckaroo | 1949 | 1952 | |
| Vultee BT-13 Valiant | 1948 | 1949 |
| Designation | Year | Year | Hebrew designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aérospatiale Alouette II | 1957 | 1975 | |
| Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon | 1966 | 1991 | Tzir'a (Hornet) צרעה |
| Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin | 1985 | 1997 | Dolphin דולפין |
| Eurocopter Panther | 1996 | - | Atalef (Bat) עטלף |
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois | 1967 | 2002 | |
| Bell 206 | 1978 | - | Saifan (Gladiolus) סייפן |
| Bell 212 | 1978 | ? | Anafa (Heron) אנפה |
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | 1975 | 2013 | Tzefa (Viper) צפע |
| Bell 47 | 1965 | 1974 | |
| Hiller 360 | 1951 | 1961 | |
| Hughes 500 | 1979 | 2001 | Lahatut (Trick) להטוט |
| McDonnell Douglas AH-64A Apache | 1990 | - | Peten (Adder) פתן |
| McDonnell Douglas AH-64D Apache Longbow | 2004 | - | Saraph (Seraph) שרף |
| Sikorsky S-55 | 1957 | 1966 | |
| Sikorsky S-58 | 1958 | 1975 | |
| Sikorsky CH-53 | 1969 | - | Yas'ur (Petrel) יסעור |
| Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | 1994 | - | Yanshuf (Owl) ינשוף |
| Designation | Year | Year | Hebrew designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan BQM-34A Firebee | 1971 | Mabat (Gaze) מבט | |
| Ryan BQM-34E/F Firebee II | 1971 | Shadmit (Pratincole) שדמית | |
| Northrop Chukar | 1971 | Telem (Furrow) תלם | |
| Tadiran Mastiff | 1979 | 1992 | Sayar (scout) סייר |
| IAI Scout | 1979 | 1992 | Zahavan (Oriolus) זהבן |
| IAI Harpy | 1990s | - | Sion שיאון |
| IAI Searcher 1 | 1992 | ? | Hogla (Alectoris) חוגלה |
| IAI Searcher 2 | 1998 | ? | Kokhav Lavan (White Star) כוכב לבן |
| Elbit Hermes 450 | 2001 | - | Zik זיק |
| Aeronautics Aerostar | 2002 | - | Shalev שליו |
| IAI Heron | 2005 | - | Shoval (Wake) שובל |
| IAI Eitan | 2010 | - | |
| Elbit Hermes 900 | 2014 | - | Kokhav Plada (Steel Star) כוכב פלדה |
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, rotorcraft, helicopters, airships, gliders, paramotors, and hot air balloons. Part 1 of Subchapter A of Chapter I of Title 14 of the U. S. Code of Federal Regulations states that aircraft "means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air."
The Northrop B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. A subsonic flying wing with a crew of two, the plane was designed by Northrop as the prime contractor, with Boeing, Hughes, and Vought as principal subcontractors, and was produced from 1987 to 2000. The bomber can drop conventional and thermonuclear weapons, such as up to eighty 500-pound class (230 kg) Mk 82 JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen 2,400-pound (1,100 kg) B83 nuclear bombs. The B-2 is the only acknowledged in-service aircraft that can carry large air-to-surface standoff weapons in a stealth configuration.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. More than 40 variants of the Hercules, including civilian versions marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations.
Fighter aircraft are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield permits bombers and attack aircraft to engage in tactical and strategic bombing of enemy targets, and helps prevent the enemy from doing the same.
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4,600 built since 1976. Although no longer purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas. Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force (USAF) selected McDonnell Douglas's design in 1969 to meet the service's need for a dedicated air superiority fighter. The Eagle took its maiden flight in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. It is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force.
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, subsonic, twin-engined, stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft to be designed with stealth technology.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it entered service with the Navy in 1961 before it was adopted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, and by the mid-1960s it had become a major part of their air arms. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history, and cementing its position as a signature combat aircraft of the Cold War.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717. The KC-135 was the United States Air Force (USAF)'s first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratofreighter. The KC-135 was initially tasked with refueling strategic bombers, but it was used extensively in the Vietnam War and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm to extend the range and endurance of US tactical fighters and bombers.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has played a significant role in British military history. In particular, during the Second World War, the RAF established air superiority over Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and led the Allied strategic bombing effort.
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the second youngest branch of the United States Armed Forces and the fourth in order of precedence. The United States Air Force articulates its core missions as air supremacy, global integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control.
Anti-aircraft warfare is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action". It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (submarine-launched), and air-based weapon systems, in addition to associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements, and passive measures. It may be used to protect naval, ground, and air forces in any location. However, for most countries, the main effort has tended to be homeland defence. Missile defence is an extension of air defence, as are initiatives to adapt air defence to the task of intercepting any projectile in flight.
Air Force One is the official air traffic control-designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. The term is commonly used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used to transport the president, and as a metonym for the primary presidential aircraft, VC-25, although it can be used to refer to any Air Force aircraft the president travels on.
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The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo that conducts the majority of the project through a joint holding company, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH. The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency, representing the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, manages the project and is the prime customer.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed.
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The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s, and by NASA for nearly 50 years. The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.
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