The Israeli Air Force has it's origins in the Haganah, the military arm of the Jewish Agency. In 1940, Palmach ground units where established to help defend Palestine from possible invasion by Axis forces. Later, with an Allied victory expected soon, Haganah set-up a Palmach Flying Platoon in 1945. Eight members of Palmach were taught to fly by the local Jewish Agency owned flying school, 'Aviron'.

The Flying Platoon borrowed a varied collection of civil registered light aircraft to supply and communicate with Haganah forces in the south of Palestine. On 10 November 1947, the decision was made to establish a regular military air arm, called the Sherut Avir (Air Service). All Jewish pilots in the country were urged to enlist - many being experienced WW2 veterans. All available aircraft were impressed into service - a total of 9 light aircraft. On 27 December 1947 an official inauguration ceremony was held for the Sherut Avir, following the transfer of most of it's aircraft to Sde Dov, near Tel Aviv. It's main tasks were to be liaison, transport, convoy escort and reconnaissance. To assist in this mission many rough airstrips were rapidly constructed close to isolated settlements.

Between December 1947 and May 1948, Jewish agents in the USA, Europe and elsewhere acquired various war-surplus aircraft for delivery to the Sherut Avir. Subtefuge was required to avoid a newly imposed arms embargo and several aircraft failed to reach their intended destination. Many Jewish and non-Jewish aircrew around the world also volunteered to fly for the new air arm. In early May 1948, the first group of Jewish pilots commenced training in Czechoslovakia on the Avia S 199 fighter, following a secret arms agreement between the Czechoslovak government and the Jewish Agency.

Upon the proclamation of the State of Israel, late on 14 May 1948, the newly formed Israeli Defence Force (IDF) prepared to resist an imminent invasion by neighbouring Arab states. The Sherut Avir was also renamed the Chel Ha'Avir (The Air Force) at this time.

With only light aircraft and transports available, the Chel Ha'Avir was unable to intercept Arab air raids and instead concentrated on supporting IDF ground forces fighting the Arab invasion.

On 16 May 1948, the first transport aircraft carrying weapons and equipment from Czechoslovakia arrived. It departed the next morning, the first of over one hundred such shuttle flights. For the Chel Ha'Avir, the most important cargo of the airlift comprised eleven Avia S 199 fighters and the trained pilots to fly them. The first fighter arrived on the night of 20/21 May and, following rapid assembly, four examples carried out the Chel Ha'Avir's first fighter operation on 29 May 1948. The S 199 scored it's first kill on 3 June 1948, against an Egyptian Dakota attempting to bomb Tel Aviv.

With the arrival of an UN negotiated Truce on 11 June 1948, the Chel Ha'Avir took the opportunity to reorganise and train. Aircraft continued to be arrive from overseas sources. On 9 July 1948, Israeli forces commenced an offensive in the North and East, aimed at driving back Arab forces. The IDF was now much stronger and better equipped, but gains were not as great as expected and a new Truce was arranged for the 19 July 1948.

On 12 August 1948, the airlift from Czechoslovakia was halted due to political pressure, and the Chel Ha'Avir transport aircraft returned home. Subsequently, an operation to ferry-out to Israel fifty ex-Czechoslovak Spitfires in several batches commenced on 24 September 1948. A new Israeli offensive began on 15 October 1948, with the object of pushing Egyptian forces from the besieged Negev region. This required major bombing raids and attack missions from the Chel Ha'Avir, and forced a significant retreat by the Egyptians. Success allowed the Israelis to move North and capture the Galilee area.

On 22 December 1948, a further Israeli offensive was aimed at Egyptian forces in the Negev area. Chel Ha'Avir aircraft again spearheaded the attack. This time the Egyptians were driven out of the Negev and back into the Sinai, with the Chel Ha'Avir dominating the skies. Following international protests the IDF withdrew to the Egyptian-Israeli frontier, and blockaded the Egyptian occupied Gaza strip. On 7 January 1949 a ceasefire came into effect, followed by the signing of an armistice on 24 February 1949. Similar agreements were reached with the other neighbouring countries.

Following the end of the War, the non-Israeli volunteers, who made up a significant proportion of the Chel Ha'Avir manpower, began to leave. Most had left by the end of 1951. To compensate for this loss, a Flying School for new pilots was established on 1 January 1950. Driven by the needs of building up a new country, the air force was now accorded a low priority and funding became strictly limited. Air force equipment was rationalised. The tired old light aircraft and poor handling S 199 fighters were retired. Mosquito bombers, P-51 Mustangs and additional Spitfires were acquired at bargain prices. During 1951, the formal title Chel Ha'Avir was replaced by the official acronym IDF/AF. As the air force became increasingly manned by totally inexperienced young Israelis, the operational efficiency of the air arm declined.

In 1953, a new head of the air force was appointed: General Dan Tolkovski. Tolkovski, a RAF veteran, recognised that Israeli could never match it's neighbours in the quantity of aircraft in service and must therefore aim at superior quality. Accordingly, he put great energy into turning the IDF/AF into a professional, well organised and highly trained service.

New equipment was also obtained, in the form of Meteor jet fighters from Britain in 1953. In 1955 Israel turned to France for more aircraft after renewed arms embargoes by Britain, the USA and Canada. Ouragan fighter-bombers were followed by Noratlas transports and Mystere IVA fighters.

Throughout 1956, cross-border terrorist raids into Israel became increasingly common. On 12 April 1956, an Egyptian Vampire fighter was shot down over Israel's Negev Desert. In addition, Arab troops began to mass on the borders. On 29 October 1956 Israel launched a surprise attack on Egypt, with the help of Anglo-French forces attempting to seize the Suez Canal. Many Egyptian aircraft were destroyed on the ground by IDF/AF air attacks. The Anglo-French attack itself began on 31 October, achieving all it's early objectives. However, mounting international pressure soon forced an early end to the the fighting. Israeli ground forces had made huge advances and had captured much of the Sinai by the time of the 6 November 1956 ceasefire. The United Nations monitored a return to prewar borders.

The early achievement of air superiority and highly successful air-ground co-operation raised the profile of the IDF/AF and encouraged further development.

The Middle East arms race now resumed its original intensity. Following the excellent performance of French designed aircraft over the Sinai, Israel placed further large orders with France. The remaining piston-engined combat aircraft were quickly retired and replaced by the latest French types: Vautour, Magister and Super Mystere. To match the MiG-21s being supplied to Egypt, Iraq and Syria, Mirage IIIs were also obtained from France. The first examples arrived in May 1963.

In the meantime, the advantages of troop-carrying helicopters in anti-terrorist, commando strike and casualty evacuation operations where being realised. A handful of Sikorsky S-55s were soon supplemented by more than thirty Sikorsky S-58s, more suited to operating in desert conditions. About a dozen French-built SA.321 Super Frelons were later added. For long range transport and in-flight refuelling missions, redundant Boeing Stratocruiser airliners were brought and radically modified by IAI.

During the 'Sixties the increasing diversion of water from the River Jordan and Sea of Galilee, for irrigation purposes, led to acrimonious disputes between Israel and Syria. On 7 April 1967, a large scale dogfight over the Sea of Galilee resulted in the loss of seven Syrian MiG-21s for no loss to Israeli Mirages.

Egypt took advantage of the distraction and on 16 May 1967 ousted UN troops from the Sinai buffer zone. Simultaneously, Syria and Jordan mobilised their forces. On 20 May 1967, Egyptian troops occupied Sharm el Sheikh and announced a blockade of Israeli shipping. With no help from it's Sinai Campaign 'allies' and the United States remaining aloof, Israel stood alone.

On the morning of 5 June 1967, the IDF/AF launched a shattering pre-emptive strike. Virtually the entire front-line combat aircraft strength was used to fly repeated sorties against Egyptian airfields in a series of waves. By achieving an average turn-around time of only seven minutes to refuel and re-arm each aircraft, Israeli aircraft were able to fly as many as eight sorties per day. Almost 300 Egyptian aircraft were destroyed at seventeen airfields - more than two thirds on the ground. Later in the day, similar attacks were made on Syrian, Jordanian and Iraqi airfields. Delayed action bombs were used to keep Arab airfields out of action.

Having eliminated the Arab air forces, IDF/AF attention turned to the Arab armoured forces threatening its borders, which now came under fierce air attack. Fighting ceased on 10 June 1967, after Israeli ground forces had captured all of the Sinai, the West Bank of the river Jordan and the Golan Heights in the North. The victory was so emphatic that this time there was no question of returning captured territory. At the same time, the defeated nations saw no need for a permanent peace while Russia was busy making good all equipment losses.

Egyptian and Israeli forces now faced each other on the banks of the Suez Canal. In March 1969 Egypt declared a 'War of Attrition' against Israel.

Over 1000 Egyptian artillery pieces were brought up to the canal and used to systematically shell Israeli positions. To protect the guns, a network of SAM missiles was installed, with MiG fighters further behind. The Israeli forces were not equipped for a static defensive war and sought to use aircraft as flying artillery. This soon proved costly in aircraft and pilots, for little gain. Furthermore, the Egyptians had an almost unlimited supply of missiles, whereas the Israelis were now facing a new arms embargo by their main weapons supplier - France.

Fortunately, the United States had accepted an order for A-4 Skyhawks in 1966, and the first aircraft arrived late in 1968. Extensive political lobbying rapidly led to the USA becoming Israel's principal arms supplier. Quantities of the C-130 Hercules and Sikorsky S-65 were soon forthcoming, but the aircraft the Israelis really wanted was the F-4 Phantom II. The arrival of this type in September 1969 allowed the IDF/AF to mount deep penetration raids into Egypt, well behind the Suez Canal SAM barrier. These strikes proved particularly effective. In response, the Russians supplied Egypt with more SAM missiles and radar guided anti-aircraft guns. Also supplied were 150 of the latest model MiG-21MF interceptors, and the Russian 'volunteer' pilots to fly them.

During June and early July 1970, the Russian piloted fighters successfully intercepted a number of Israeli air attacks. On 30 July 1970, the IDF/AF staged a pre-planned ambush of the Russian pilots and shot five down for no loss.

The ever-escalating conflict caused Russia and the US to put pressure on Egypt for a cease-fire agreement, which was signed on 8 August 1970. Israel undertook not to bomb Egyptian artillery and SAM missile positions, and Egypt pledged not to move additional SAMs to the banks of the Suez Canal. Israel produced evidence that the Egyptians had broken this agreement within hours of the ceasefire, but nothing was done.

In the Spring of 1973, Israeli forces were placed on alert when intelligence sources detected the apparent mobilisation of the Syrian and Egyptian armies. After a few weeks the alert was called off - giving rise to much criticism of the Israeli government for an unnecessary alert.

On 13 September 1973, a large air battle took place off the Syrian coast. Thirteen Syrian MiG-21s were shot down for one Mirage lost.

In the Autumn of 1973, intelligence sources again detected the mobilisation of Syrian and Egyptian forces. In addition, the families of the Russian military advisors were seen to be leaving Egypt. No alert was called, until 5 October 1973, and then only for the regular forces.

On the afternoon of 6 October 1973, Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in the Jewish calendar, Egyptian and Syrian forces began a full scale invasion of Israel. The carefully planned Arab attack had achieved surprise. Israel needed at least 48 hours to call up its reserves, and only the air force could now buy that time. For the first three days of the war, the IDF/AF concentrated on supporting the hard-pressed ground forces. Repeated Israeli air attacks on Syrian forces occupying the Golan heights, and Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal, came under heavy fire from overlapping zones of anti-aircraft defences. New SAM missiles, covering high and medium altitudes, forced attacking aircraft to fly low and into the range of deadly radar-controlled guns.

Losses were heavy, and by the end of the war comprised nearly 20 per cent of all Israeli combat aircraft. A massive resupply operation from the USA made good the early losses and allowed the IDF/AF to switch to attacking SAM batteries and enemy airfields. At the same time, Israeli ground forces crossed the Suez Canal and punched a hole in the line of SAM batteries defending the Egyptian supply lines. With the Egyptians outflanked and the Syrians pushed back off the Golan Heights, a UN sponsored ceasefire came into effect on 24 October 1973. The contribution of the IDF/AF to the eventual victory was judged to be crucial.

The Yom Kippur victory was followed by an upsurge in PLO terrorist activity. On 27 June 1976, pro-Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris and forced it to land at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. On the night of 3 July 1976, four C-130 Hercules transports landed at Entebbe in a daring surprise attack and disgorged Israeli special forces who were able to rescue all the hostages.

In 1978 Israel began to regularly use Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance over Lebanon and Syria. Since then, Israel has become a world pioneer in the military use of UAVs. With increased terrorist attacks and frequent shelling of Israeli communities in Northern Israel further action was required. On 14 March 1978, a limited invasion of Southern Lebanon was initiated. IDF/AF aircraft went unchallenged by the Syrians and so concentrated on attacking terrorist bases. Israeli forces withdrew on 21 March and were replaced by a Lebanese Christian militia army. Despite this, terrorist attacks continued, and Israeli aircraft regularly attacked terrorist targets in Lebanon.

From April 1979 Syrian aircraft began to challenge the Israeli presence over Lebanon. This resulted in an escalating series of dogfights and IDF/AF air raids on Syrian SAM missile batteries, which were brought to a temporary halt by an American brokered ceasefire in the Spring of 1981.

On 7 June 1981 eight F-16As, with six F-15As acting as fighter escort, launched a long range attack on the Iraqi 'Osirak' nuclear reactor near Baghdad. All sixteen conventionally aimed bombs hit the target, destroying the reactor core before it could be used to make nuclear weapons.

In April 1982, the Sinai region was handed back to Egypt, as part of the Camp David Peace agreement. As a result, several IDF/AF units had to move to newly built air bases in the Negev.

In response to a wave of terrorist attacks on Israeli targets in Europe, a full scale invasion of Lebanon was launched on 5 June 1982, with the aim of destroying terrorist bases in the country. IDF/AF aircraft and helicopter gunships operated extensively in close support of advancing ground forces. On 9 June 1982 the Israelis initiated a massive air attack on the SAM missile batteries defending the Syrian occupied zone of Lebanon - the Bekaa Valley. Using sophisticated jamming systems, UAV reconnaissance drones and precision bombing attacks nineteen missile batteries were destroyed. The Syrians scrambled well over one hundred fighters to intercept the attackers, but without ground control radars to guide them, many soon fell to Israeli fighters. One of the biggest air battles in history, the largest since the Korean war, resulted in Israeli claims of 22 kills without loss.

Following further heavy Syrian air combat losses and widespread use of anti-tank helicopters against Syrian tanks, a separate ceasefire was agreed with the Syrians on 11 June 1981. Air attacks continued on PLO targets in and around Beirut until 12 August 1981, by which time the PLO had agreed to withdraw from Lebanon. Many PLO soldiers made their way to Tunisia, where the PLO set up a new headquarters. The Israelis began a slow withdrawal from Lebanon, which wasn't completed until June 1985, leaving a narrow security zone along the border. In September 1985, PLO terrorist attacks resumed. On 1 October 1985, eight F-15 Eagles flew the 1,280 miles to Tunisia and successfully bombed the new PLO headquarters as a reprisal.

The start of the Intifada (uprising) in the Palestinian territories in 1987 placed additional responsibilities on the IDF/AF. Helicopters and UAVs were increasingly used to support ground units and rapidly identify trouble spots. The rioting died down after 1991 when a political peace process began to make progress.

With the political changes following the break up of the Soviet Union, regional security became more unstable. On 2 August 1990 the Iraqis invaded Kuwait, and threatened Israel with destruction. Following the start of the Gulf War on 17 January 1991, a total of thirty-nine Scud missiles were fired at Israel. The majority hit population centres and many people were injured, although luckily only two were killed. Bravely, Israel chose not to respond, and thus avoided the break up of the Arab-Western coalition which soon liberated Kuwait.

On 23 May 1991, IDF/AF aircraft began the airlift of 14,000 Ethiopian Jews from that war torn country to new homes in Israel, under Operation Solomon.

After the signing of the Oslo Accord with PLO leaders in September 1993, Palestinian terrorism was replaced by a new security threat. A consequence of the over-long occupation of Lebanon was the growth there of an Islamic fundamentalist group called Hezbollah, which carried out attacks on Israeli Army patrols and occasionally fired rockets into settlements in Northern Israel. On 11 April 1996, Operation Grapes of Wrath was launched - a series of air attacks on known Hezbollah positions.

Improved relations with neighbouring countries in the late 1990s opened up new opportunities for the IDF/AF. An agreement was reached with Turkey for the use of Turkish weapons ranges by Israeli combat aircraft. Links were also formed with the Jordanian Air Force.

A squadron of F-15I strike aircraft began to enter service in January 1998, giving the IDF/AF the ability to make long-range attacks on critical targets with conventional (and other) weapons.

In September 2000 a new and much more violent intifada erupted in the Palestinian Territories. This was accompanied by a renewal of terrorist attacks by extremist Palestinian groups not connected with the Palestinian Authority - the foremost of which was Hamas. As ground incursions became increasingly dangerous for Israeli ground units, the IDF/AF was ordered to conduct assassinations of terrorist leaders using helicopter-launched missiles. This policy was not always successful and became increasingly controversial as some air force personnel began to publicly voice disquiet over the moral and ethical issues raised by these missions. The response of the IDF leadership was to sack the objectors. Since 2000, 'incursions' by IDF security forces into the West Bank and Gaza Strip have become a regular occurrence, with the intensity of operations reaching a new peak immediately after the June 2006 kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Hamas. In November 2006 IDF units again withdrew from Palestinian Authority areas.

On 1 June 2005 the IDF/AF was renamed the Israel Air And Space Force (IASF) - in recognition of it's leading role in the country's space satellite programme.

In the light of continuing cross-border attacks by Hezbollah units on Israeli settlements and military patrols near the Lebanese border, in March 2006 the ISAF began planning a major bombing campaign to seriously damage this organisation and isolate it from it's supporters in Lebanon. Although the planing was not complete, the sudden kidnapping by Hezbollah of two Israeli soldiers on 12 July 2006 triggered a political decision to launch the campaign. The Second Lebanon War, as it became known, saw the ISAF conduct some 12,000 combat sorties against targets in Lebanon. These targets included known Hezbollah strongholds, items of infrastructure to put pressure on the Lebanese government, and targets of opportunity spotted by reconnaissance drones.

Apart from artillery units, the Israeli Army had not been ready for the attack and took a while preparing a ground offensive into Southern Lebanon. In the meantime, a number of helicopter-borne commando raids into Lebanon were carried out. The apparent inability of the IASF to prevent Hezbollah firing some 4,000 rockets into northern Israel during the war drew considerable criticism. A UN arranged ceasefire came into effect on 14 August 2006, on the third day of the Army offensive.

Further afield, Iran's nuclear energy programme began to cause concern amongst world leaders from 2004. The covert nature of much of the programme gave rise to suspicions that the production of a nuclear weapon was the prime objective of the programme. Anti-Israeli comments by senior politicians in Tehran have led many to conclude that Israel would be the prime target for an Iranian nuclear missile. Both the USA and Israel are believed to have drawn up plans to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities to prevent the production of such a weapon. For Israel, this would involve a long-range attack on multiple targets protected by a relatively effective air defence system.

Before 1998, the Israeli Air Force's front-line fighter units were primarily equipped with single-seat fighters - except for the F-4E Phantom and some F-16Ds - which were ideal for operations close to Israel's borders. Since that date, the air force has begun to progressively re-equip with two-seat fighters such as the F-15I and F-16I, both of which are fitted with extra 'blister' fuel tanks. These aircraft are clearly capable of long-range strike missions. The IASF has also recently acquired new Gulfstream EW and AEW aircraft, allowing it blind enemy radars and to control the airspace around it's fighters. The large fleet of tanker aircraft operated by the IASF are capable of refuelling all frontline jets, including the Gulfstreams. Should there come a need for an attack on Iran, the IASF will be ready.