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Key Elements of the Israel Air ForceTeamwork is the key to the IAF's success. Several key elements enable the IAF to achieve its objectives:
The Operational ComponentThe operational squadrons perform the missions that give teeth to the concepts air defense and strategic deterrence. Spearheading these forces are the aircrews who operate state-of-the-art weapons systems with precision accuracy. The fighter forces include versatile aircraft, capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. These include updated models of F-16 and F-15 fighters. Local ingenuity has helped improve these formidable fighters as well as the F4 Phantom 2000, which will fly into the next century thanks to an intensive renovation program at the IAI. Attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache, Hughes Defender and AH-1 Cobra add a new dimension to the land battle. Sikorsky and Bell helicopters transport troops and equipment while performing assault, medevac and rescue missions in both war and peace. The transport fleet includes the Boeing 707 and Hercules C-130 aircraft (capable of airlift, refueling and other jobs) as well as the locally produced Arava short take off and landing (STOL) transport. MaintenanceLogistics and maintenance are the backbone of the IAF. While the pilot spearheads the operations, the maintenance forces make sure that the spear is sharp and always ready. Excellent maintenance enables the IAF to maintain a high level of operational preparedness which offsets the numerical superiority of the threat. Very short turn-around times in terms of rearming and refueling are the hidden multipliers which translate into aircraft availability. The high rate of mission-ready aircraft is achieved with only a fraction of the manpower found in comparably sized air forces. The secret? Professionalism, ingenuity and lots of hard work. One example of high-tech maintenance is the sophisticated computer system which allows any technician to check the entire maintenance history of a specific plane or aircraft type. This saves time and money in troubleshooting and repairing damaged aircraft. C3I: Command, Control, Communications and IntelligenceWith Arab airfields located only a short distance from Israel's borders, one question stands out: will the IAF have sufficiently early warning to meet potential threats? The Intelligence Branch keeps the IAF's eyes focused on the ever-changing threat, and provides a warning at the earliest sign of danger. IAF Intelligence forces utilize the latest technology for gathering signals and information, but the real trick is to analyze this data and properly assess enemy intentions. This requires a marriage between sophisticated electronic equipment and highly skilled professionals. In many instances, the required technology has been developed in Israel. One example is the mini-RPV (remotely piloted vehicle). After witnessing its effectiveness in the IAF, American forces purchased and made excellent use of mini-RPVs in the Persian Gulf. Ground-based radars and airborne control aircraft, such as the E-2C Hawkeye, help the IAF Commander control the rapidly developing situation. He can divide the battlefield into different sectors and effectively utilize his resources wherever needed by the IDF. Operational flexibility and rapid response provide for effective decision-making under pressure. The Air Defense ForcesIsrael received its first anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) during the Passover holiday of 1948. The first guns were Swiss-made, 20 mm cannons which arrived by boat, hidden among sacks of potatoes. An air defense school was formed at Herzlia under the guise of a factory. Most of the instructors were Israelis who had served with the British during World War II. Their students included high school pupils and newly arrived Holocaust survivors. AAA gunners registered their first victory by downing an Egyptian Spitfire as it attacked Sde Dov air field north of Tel Aviv. In January 1950, the Air Defense Forces were formally organized under the command of Boris Senior, a veteran IAF pilot. Initially, the AAA was independent of the IAF and directly subordinated to the IDF Vice Commander. The Air Defense Forces continued to grow throughout the Fifties, adding radar-directed guns and establishing reserve units and control facilities. The argument over who should control AAA raged on. When the first Hawk missiles arrived in 1965, IAF Commander Ezer Weizman succeeded in placing this sophisticated air defense system under Air Force control. The working relationship between the Air Defense Forces and the IAF continued to improve—and so did the results. Air Defense Forces shot down three aircraft during the Six Day War and fifteen during the 1969-70 War of Attrition. Finally, in December 1970, the Air Defense Forces were officially incorporated into the Air Force. During the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Air Defense Forces rose to the occasion, downing forty-three Egyptian and seven Syrian planes. Toward the end of the war, Chaparral and Red-eye missiles and 20 mm Vulcan cannons were added to the service. Captured Soviet-made 23 mm guns and shoulder-launched SA-7 missiles joined their Western counterparts in the IAF and were used against their former owners. In 1982, Air Defense units advanced along with the ground forces inside Lebanon. A 20 mm Vulcan unit managed to shoot down a Syrian Mig 21 after engaging surface targets during a fierce battle with terrorists. A Hawk missile helped bring down a high flying Syrian Mig-25, marking the first time the Soviet-built Mach-3 fighter had ever been hit by a surface-to-air missile. Reserve units were equally effective, hitting a Syrian fighter with a Red-eye missile. Today the Air Defense Forces continue to play an important role in protecting Israeli airspace and working closely with the ground forces, especially along the volatile northern border. By far the most important recent development in air defense was the acquisition of Patriot missile batteries during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Israeli crews mastered the system under the pressure of live combat. U.S. Army and IAF personnel worked side by side to protect Israeli cities from Iraqi Scud surface-to-surface missiles. Training in the IAFTraining is the key to the IAFs secret weapon: the quality of its people. Manpower is Israel's most valuable resource. By investing in its young men and women, the IAF maintains a decisive edge over potential enemies. “Hard in training - easy in battle” is an IAF motto. Flight training is rigorous and simulates the combat arena as closely as possible. The training schedule is planned to make optimum use of Israel's limited airspace and bombing ranges. Emphasis is placed on utilizing simulators and on squeezing every ounce of training from each precious flight hour. A single F-15 flight hour, for example, costs $15,000. Formal training is based on three primary elements: IAF training schools, specialized training at military and civilian institutions, and unit-level training. The IAF training schools include:
Specialized training at military and civilian institutions includes an IAF college-level facility at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; courses at the IAF Command & Staff School and the IDF Defense College; and courses at universities, with industry and abroad. Unit-level training is a continuous process, whereby the individual sharpens his basic skills with formal and informal on-the-job training. Commanders at every level are responsible for the ongoing training program. This ensures the high standard of professionalism required to operate a sophisticated, high-tech air force. The IAF Technical SchoolThe Technical School has been the source for maintenance personnel since the first days of the IAF. Through the years, the overall mission of the School has broadened considerably. Today its scope goes beyond the initial qualification of ground crews. The Technical School has become a major academic institution, providing recognized certification in several technical fields. It also provides intensive refresher training for field personnel and conducts basic and advanced officers training courses. There is a special course for training maintenance instructors as well. Two technical high schools operate under the aegis of the Technical School: one in Beer Sheva and one at the School's main base at Haifa. Living in a paramilitary dormitory environment, thousands of cadets study for their general and vocational high school diplomas. The School also provides IAF soldiers with the opportunity to complete their matriculation. In addition to its training role, the Technical School performs many important operational functions. Yet despite its daily operational commitments, the School's focus is clearly on the future. Today's cadets must be prepared to maintain tomorrow's technology. Utilizing advanced training methods and equipment, the School constantly improves the quality of its graduates. These are the men and women who give IAF pilots the edge in today's high-tech battle arena. The IAF Flight AcademyThe IAF Flight Academy first opened its doors in 1950 at Sirkin Field near Petach Tikva. From Sirkin the school moved to Tel Nof Air Force Base and from there to its current location at Hatzerim Air Force Base. The primary mission of the Flight Academy is to qualify aircrews. Flying, however, is only part of the story. A major emphasis is placed on training young men to be officers and leaders. The ultimate graduate is first a fighter - then a pilot. Pilots undergo a rigorous screening process before they begin their military service. Local induction centers earmark outstanding teenagers for pilot training. The best candidates are invited to the preliminary phase of pilot training: a week-long march. This grueling ordeal tests their mettle both as individuals and as members of a group. Many are washed out. “Survivors” begin flying the Piper Supercub and advance to the Tzukit, a locally upgraded version of the Fouga-Magister jet trainer. The two-year course is made up of four semesters, each 6 months long. Cadets are classified for training as fixed-wing or helicopter pilots, navigators or flight engineers. Later, they are separated into fighter and transport trends. One common element for all trainees is the constant pressure to excel. Only 10% of the original candidates succeed in earning their wings. Two Hebrew words—Hatovim Letayis—sum up the Academy's philosophy: only the best become IAF pilots. From Generation to GenerationAlways at a quantitative disadvantage, the IAF has had to overcome the odds by emphasizing quality and ingenuity. However, as the threat becomes more sophisticated, the situation becomes “quality vs. quality and quantity.” To realize its full potential in meeting the challenge, the IAF must develop the one resource that will ensure its qualitative edge: its people. The IAF is a special family. Members are proud to belong to its select community. It is also a way of life, emphasizing values such as the drive for perfection, competition and taking pride in a job well done. Source: Israel Defense Forces. |
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