How Many Planes Does the Israeli Air Force Have?
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is one of the most powerful and experienced air forces in the Middle East, with a diverse range of aircraft in its arsenal. With a reputation for innovation and adaptability, the IAF is often called upon to face challenging military scenarios. The IAF has around 400 combat aircraft, helicopters, and drones at its disposal, making it one of the largest and most technologically advanced air forces in the region. Let’s take a closer look at the breakdown:
Contents
Combat Aircraft
F-15 Eagle/Silent Eagle: The Israeli Air Force operates a mix of F-15Cs, Ds, and Js, with a combined fleet of around 94 aircraft. These multirole fighter jets are capable of dogfighting, bomber duties, and reconnaissance tasks. Israel has enhanced the F-15 design by adding stealth capabilities to make it even more lethal in modern battlespace, which has been dubbed as "Silent Eagle".
F-16I Sufa (Fighting Fox): With a total of 362 aircraft in its fleet, the IAF operates a large fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcon variants. These strike jets are capable of reconnaissance, air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
F-35i "Adir" (Mighty One): The Israeli Air Force is one of the major export customers of the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. At the time of writing, 50 F-35s have been delivered with an additional 47 expected to arrive by the mid-2020s. The IAF uses its F-35Is primarily for reconnaissance and airborne warfare missions.
Helicopters and Light Attack Aircraft
AH-64 Apache: The Israeli Air Force operates a limited number of AH-64A and AH-64D Apache Longbow gunship helicopters for close-air-support and attack missions. The IAF received the first batch of 11 Apache Longbows in the 1990s, followed by an additional 34 aircraft.
IAR 248 Mangusta: Israel has adapted the Italian IAR-248 Mangusta attack helicopter to create the Israel Military Industries (IMI) Arava, offering anti-tank capabilities and support roles.
Aerial Infrared Detection and Treatment: The IAF possesses specialized helicopters for aerial combat electronic warfare (CEWs), equipped with advanced signals and electronic warfare systems for radar jamming and direction.
Drones
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV): Israel has developed, exported, and operated its own UAV systems, designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision-strike applications.
Hermes 450: The Israel-based Elbit Systems delivers a fleet of Hermes 450 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), boasting advanced avionics, high-resolution cameras, and precision-guided armaments.
Harpy/Eagle: The Elta Systems (a defense technology company in Israel) and Israel Aerospace Industries collaborate to produce the Harpy drone, an autonomous expendable UCAV using electronic warfare (EW) payloads to destroy enemy UAVs, tanks, or mobile artillery.
**Tunnel Warfare Capabilities
Shark-ISR: Equipped with a unique mini-copter and a robotic insect-like vehicle, these stealthy units are specialized to detect, track, and disrupt underground tunnel infrastructures, posing a formidable counter to subterranean terror networks.
UCAV for Tunnel Destruction (UTD): These drones employ advanced, subsonic, radar-quieted designs allowing the IAF to stealthily survey, map, and neutralize tunnel entrance, ventilation, and escape paths of underground terror networks without alarming enemy forces.
- Total aircraft inventory: ≈400
- F-16 fleet size: ≈362
- F-15 fleet size: ≈94
- F-35 fleet size: ≈50 (50 delivered so far, with 47 on order)
- AH-64 Apache fleet size: 45
- Hermetica/Hermes-450 UCAVs in service: 22
In conclusion, Israel’s Air Force boasts 400 combat aircraft, drones, and helicopters, solidifying its reputation as an unmatched air force in the Middle East. With strategic reconnaissance, stealth capabilities, anti-air defense, as well as its unique electronic warfare capabilities, the Israeli Air Force maintains a vigilant edge against threats from border security to long-range conflict resolution.
