IAI Arava ('Arava')
One series 102 and two series 201 commandeered from manufacturer during October 1973 Yom Kippur War. Used by ? sqn for supply and casevac missions. Returned to IAI at end of war - the srs 201s were for an overseas customer. Eight series 202 obtained 1984 - this version featured prominent winglets. Used by 126 sqn for ECM duties. Three series 102 (201?) obtained 1984. Used by ? sqn for transport duties. Withdrawn from service in June 2004 and put into store at Lod. Hebrew name taken from the desert area in central Israel.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
4X-???			1973	srs 102 prototype
4X-???			1973	srs 201
4X-???			1973	srs 201
101/4X-JUA	072			Arava 201, 126 sqn
203/4X-JUB	101			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn, Hatzerim Museum Feb 2006
205/4X-FDD	104			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn
209/4X-JUE	106			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn
211/4X-JUF	107			Arava 202, 126 sqn
212/4X-JUG	108			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn
215/4X-JUH	109			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn
217/4X-JUI	110			Arava 202 ECM, 126 sqn
303/4X-JUC	'100' 80?			Arava 202, 126 sqn

References:

• World Air Forces Directory 2006/07 (Mach III)

IAI Kfir-C7 serial 824 of 144 Squadron. (Photo via Amiad Spector)

Three Kfirs fly over Jerusalem. (photo, Israeli Air Force)

IAI Kfir ('Kfir')
Sixty-eight Kfir-C1 ordered 1974 and delivered from April 1975. No canard foreplanes. All later retrofitted to C2 standard. Used for fighter-bomber role. 12 aircraft leased to US Navy 1985-88 and 13 aircraft leased to USMC 1986-1989 for use in the aggressor role under the designation F-21A. Eighty-nine Kfir-C2 ordered, with deliveries commencing by July 1976. Fitted with canard foreplanes, dogtooth wing leading edge and improved avionics. Thirty Kfir-C7 built with engine intake mounted pylons, HOTAS cockpit and further updated avionics. Two-seat trainer version, Kfir-TC2, first flew February 1981 and twelve were built (including 2 for Ecuador). Production of ten new-build C2 aircraft for Ecuador brings production total to 212 aircraft.

Used for fighter-bomber role. 10 single-seat examples exported to Ecuador 1982, 12 to Colombia 1989, and 5 to Sri Lanka 1996. About 38 airframes supplied to South Africa for the 'Cheetah' programme. 2 two-seaters supplied to Ecuador and 1 each to Colombia and Sri Lanka, (the latter in 1996). One example converted to Kfir-C10 'Kfir 2000' standard for potential export sales. Finally withdrawn from service c.1999, although 60 were in store at Ovda by December 1996. Hebrew name means Lion Cub.

Design based on Nesher airframe with J79 engine in shorter and fatter rear fuselage. Prototype first flew 1973.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
301	B01			TC2, to Sri Lanka 710
302	B02			TC2, to Ecuador 932
303	B03			TC2, IAI Lod store
304	B04			TC2, IAI Lod store
305	B05			TC2, to USA ATAC June 2002, IAI Lod store Oct 2003
306	B06			TC2, Ovda store
307	B07			TC2, Ovda store
308	B08			TC2, to Colombia as 3003
309	B09			TC2, Ovda store
310	B10			TC2, Hatzerim Museum
419				RC2, stored Hatzerim museum
451				RC2, preserved Hatzerim museum
512				C7, Ovda store
514				C7, Hatzerim store
516				C7, IAI Lod store
517				C7, Ovda store
519				C7, Ovda store
521				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
523				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
526				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
529	178			C7, preserved Hatzerim museum
530				C7, Ovda store, to Sri Lanka
532				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
534				C7, Ovda store
537				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
539				C7, Ovda store
541				C7
543				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
546				C7, Ovda store
547				C7, IAI Lod store
549				C7, Ovda store
551				C7, to Sri Lanka 722
553				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
555				C7, to Sri Lanka after June 1989
557				C7, Ovda store
559				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
561				C7, Ovda store
565				C7, Ovda store
566				C7, Ovda store, IAI Lod store
568				C7
570				C7, to Sri Lanka
573				C7, IAI Lod store
701				C1, w/o 14 Apr 1978
703				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Hatzerim store
704				C1
705				C1
706?				C1
707	08			C1
708				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
709				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
710				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
711?
712	01			C1 2nd proto, ex-Nesher 512, Hatzerim museum
713	07			C1, to Kfir C2 813
714	07			C1, to Kfir C2 proto 814
715				C1
716	05			C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
717				C1, to Kfir C2 817
718				C1, to 818 w/o 3 Mar 1983
719				C1, to 819, to 419
720				C1, Ovda store
721				C1
722				C1, w/o 20 Dec 1975
723				C1
724	02			C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Hatzerim store
725				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Hatzerim museum
726				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
727				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
728				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Ovda store
729				C1, to Kfir C2 829
730				C1, to C2 830
731				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Ovda store
732				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Ovda, Hatzerim
733				C1
734				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, preserved 'Intrepid' Museum New York Sept 2004
735				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Ovda store
737	06			C1 w/o 3 Dec 1975
739				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
740				C2, to 840
741				C1
742	35			C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Preserved Haifa Technicon
743				C1
744				C1, w/o 20 Oct 1979
745				C2 to 845
746				C1
747	09			C1P, USN lease 1985-86, preserved Ovda '944'
748				C1
749				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
750	04			C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Ovda store
751				C1, to 851
752				C1, to 852
753				C1, to 853
754				C1, to 854
755				C1, to 855, ex 4X-CFK
762				C1, w/o 13 Aug 1981
764	29			C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Be'er Sheva '664', Hatzerim Mus
779				C1, to 879, ex 4X-CFL
781				C1
785				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, GI Holz Tech College
786				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, Ovda store
787				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, Ovda store
88				1st prototype, FF 4 June 1973, w/o 25 May 1975
791				C1P, USN lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
794				C1P, USMC lease 1985-86, IAI Lod store
801				C2
802				C2, to USA ATAC N802KF Oct 2002
803				C2, IAI Lod store
804				C2
805				C2
806				C2, to USA ATAC N806KF Nov 2003
807				C2
808				C2
809				C2
810				C2
811				C2
812				C2, IAI Lod store
813				C7, ex C2
814				C2, preserved Ramat David
815				C2, Ovda store
818				C2 w/o 5 Nov 1985
819				C2, to RC2 419
820				C2, IAI Lod, to ATAC as N820KF 2005
821	44			C2, GI Haifa
822				C7, to ATAC as N822KF Nov 2003
823				C2
824				C7 prototype, ex C2
825	106			C2, IAI Lod, to N825KF, N406AX
826				C2, Hatzerim store
827				C2, IAI Lod store
828				C2
829				C2
830				C2
832				C2
833				C2, Ovda store
834				C2
835				C2, IAI Lod store
836				C2, w/o 4 May 1981
837				C2
840				C2 w/o 10 July 1981
841				C2
842				C2, IAI Lod, to N842KF 2005
843				C2
844				C2
845				C7, ex C2
846				C2, to Ecuador FAE-911 1995
847				C2
849				C2, Ovda store
851				C2, to RC2 451
852				C2
853				C7, ex C2, Hatzerim stored
854				C2, Ovda store
858				C2, Ovda store
860				C2
861				C2
862				C7, ex C2
863				C2, IAI Lod store
864				C2, Ovda store
866				C2
867				C2
868				C7, ex C2
869				C2, preserved Hatzor
870				C2, Ovda store
871				C7, ex C2, Ovda store
872				C2
873				C2
874	74			C2, Hatzerim museum
875	88			C2, preserved Givat Olga
876				C2
877				C2
878				C2
879				C2, IAI Lod store
880				C2
882				C7, ex C2
883				C2
884				C2
886				C2, Hatzerim stored
887				C2
888				C2
889				C2
890				C2, IAI Lod store
892				C2
894				C2 to Ecuador FAE-912 1997
895				C2 to C7, Hatzerim store
896				C2, to Ecuador FAE-915? 2002
897				C2
898				C2
903				C2 to C7
909				C2
910				C2 to C7
914				C2, to Kfir 2000
926				C2, to FAE-913 1997
928				C2, IAI Lod, ATAC N928KF Oct 2004
931				C2
935				C2, IAI Lod store
937				C2
948				C2
961				C2
963				C2
965				C2 to Ecuador FAE-914 Jan 1999
967				C2
979				C2, to Nammer, IAI Lod store
987				C2
988	P1			TC2, Hatzerim museum

References:

• World Air Power Journal Vol.15
• World Air Power Journal Vol.16
• World Air Forces Directory 2006/07 (Mach III)

IAI Nesher ('Nesher') * Retired *
Single-seat fighter design closely based on the Dassault Mirage 5J, with Atar 9C engine. Fifty-one Nesher S (single-seat) and ten Nesher T (two-seat) aircraft were built. The first prototype was flown in September 1969. Aircraft were delivered to the IDF/AF 1971-72. Used for the fighter-bomber role. Withdrawn from service in 1981. Between mid-1978 and 1982 35 Ss (26+9?) and 4 Ts were supplied to Argentina, were they were known as IAI Dagger As and Bs (C-401 to C-437 and C-426, C-438 to 439 & C-??? respectively). (These were later upgraded with Kfir-style noses and renamed 'Finger'). Hebrew name means Eagle.

The construction numbers were S-01 to S-51 and T-01 to T-10. The aircraft initially received two-digit serial numbers including 02, 09, 10, 12, 14, 16, 21, 34, 76, 85, 88.

Nesher production comprised French (Dassault) supplied wings and cockpit together with an Israeli-built fuselage and fin. The two-seaters are believed to have been converted Mirage IIIBs from Dassault - or assembled from French Mirage IIIB kits. Some airframes were later passed to South Africa for use in the Cheetah conversion programme.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
501		AdlA 586		converted Mirage 5J, preserved Hatzerim museum
501				second aircraft believed carried the same serial
02				w/o 3 Feb 1974
03
06				w/o 10 Oct 1973
507
08
509
510
11
512				to Kfir prototype 712
514
515				w/o 14 Dec 1973
516
17
18				w/o 6 Nov 1973
520
521
522
523
524				to Argentina
525				to Argentina
526
527
528				to Argentina
531				w/o 20 Oct 1973
533
534
36				w/o 16 Oct 1973
561
562				w/o ? date
565
566				to Argentina
71
572
73
76				w/o 21 Oct 1973
78
582				to Argentina
85
586
87
588				converted to IAI Ra'am '88', w/o 25 May 1975
91				w/o 19 Feb 1973
592
93				8 Oct 1973
598
599
611				Nesher T
617				Nesher T
618				Nesher T, to South Africa
620				Nesher T, to South africa
622				Nesher T
625				Nesher T, to Argentina
627				Nesher T
634				Nesher T
637				Nesher T
639				Nesher T, to Argentina
649				Nesher T, to South Africa
666				Nesher T, to South africa
688				Nesher T, w/o 13 Jan 1979

References:

• World Air Power Journal Vol.15
• World Air Power Journal Vol.16
• World Air Forces Directory 2006/07 (Mach III)

IAI 1124N Seascan ('Shahaf') * Current *
One IAI 1123 Westwind plus two more new aircraft converted to 1124N Seascan. TFE731 turbofan engines. Delivered in 1978. (Acquired in 1977, delivered by 1980?) Used by 195 sqn for Maritime patrol work. Hebrew name means Seagull.

Conversion included Litton search radar in extended nose, turbofan engines, strongpoints on fuselage sides for flares, rescue packs or offensive weapons.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
927	185			1124N, initially 027, 4X-JYJ
929	152			1123 conv to 1124N, initially 035, 4X-JYR
931	186			1124N, initially 031, 4X-JYO

References:

• World Air Forces Directory 2006/07 (Mach III)

IAI 1123 Westwind * Retired *
Two model 1123 Westwind 1 impressed from IAI in October 1973. CJ610 engines. Used by 120 sqn for transport. Not returned after the war. One subsequently converted to a VIP transport. The remaining 1123 was converted to a 1124N Seascan (see above). Withdrawn from service in 1978.

Serial	c/no.	Prev. Identity	Delivered	Fate/Notes
064	107		Oct 1973	4X-JYG
029	152		Oct 1973	4X-JYF, converted to Seascan

References:

• to be added