The Israeli Air Force

Unlike any other

There isn’t another one like it in the world. The Bell-Boeing V-22 "Osprey" has been the source of much curiosity since it entered service in the U.S military and it still isn't clear if the tilt-rotor has more positives or negatives. Last month, two IAF pilots arrived at the U.S. to try the new aircraft themselves and try to answer these questions

Top of the Olympus

IAF helicopters and Unit 669 fighters met their Greek counterparts in an exercise that took place in Greece. It was a good chance to exchange ideas, methods and thoughts

The wings of terror

Many terror organizations's dream is to successfully hijack an aircraft and once, long before September 11th, these attempts were almost routine. 33 years ago, an El-Al plane was first hijacked, and terror organizations haven't ceased to attempt similar attacks since

The A-4 Skyhawk era with the IAF is coming to an end. The planes that attacked, plummeted and bred generations of combat pilots and navigators, will step down after more than four decades in service. Which instructional plane will replace it? The IAF set out to decide and narrowed down the choices to likely candidates. All the details in the article ahead

Artistry in the Sky

The people gathered in the crowd did not allow themselves to miss them and they did not allow themselves to miss a millimeter. Three pilots of the Air Force's Aviation Acrobatics team share experiences from their new plane and discuss how many new maneuvers might appear at the next wings ceremony

Conquering Fear

People don't normally associate the fear of heights with pilots and their flight crews, but what do those who find themselves in the cockpit suffering from a fear of heights do?

It was a Winter's Tale

Why is it that we call the weather mother nature when so often it strikes us down with its powerful stormy fists, when it can toy with our hearts on a whim, destroying man's plans like a hand sweeping across a chessboard?

Bonjourno Uvda

Three weeks after Israeli and Italian air force crews trained together in Sardinia, the Italians arrived in Israel for the second half of their training with the IAF

20 years and counting

Already in action for 20 years, the Tzofit (Beechcraft King Air) flies as an important component of the light transport system for gathering close and long distance intelligence. Today, the plane's capabilities are far greater than that which it had during its first days in the IAF when, in efforts to increase flight range, members of the plane's squadron drilled a large hole in the belly of the plane

Families in Blue

With both mom and dad working in the Air Force, what are the advantages and disadvantages of a daily routine where the line between home, Air Force and work are constantly blurred? Three homes have opened their doors to give us an inside look at how each of them live as an Air Force family

A Rubber Punch

Attempting to present challenges to air crews that are as realistic as possible, the “Puncher” Unit simulates the activity of land-air missiles, ballistic missiles, rocket systems and launch sites and tries to make life difficult for those who fly around them

JUMP!

They have only one week to acquire the ability, which they hope they will never have to use: parachuting into enemy territory. Pilots-to-be in the parachuting course learn when to open the spare parachute, what to think about on the way down, how not to break your legs, and what the best way is to relax right before you jump from the plane

Years Later and Nothing’s Been Erased

IAF planes flew in the skies over the Auschwitz extermination camp, carrying with them a message of an independent state and a strong army. Each of the pilots carried with them a personal object that tells a story and recounts a memory. This is the story of the historic flight. International Holocaust Remembrance Day occurs on 27th January

Night Hammers

The “Hammers” Squadron trained backwards for a week – all of their training was at night. Members of the squadron, ground crew and air crew, tell about the strenuous night activities, the advanced night capabilities of the F-15I Ra'am (Hebrew for Thunder) planes, the cooperation needed at night, and how everything they do is meant to be ready to take off for a mission in the pitch black

Desert Birds on Mount Hermon

Mount Hermon and the surrounding area attract thousands of Israelis, particularly during the winter, yet many dangers threaten this region. IDF troops and the police force contended with these hazards during a large-scale exercise in which the "Desert Birds" Squadron played a central role.