Israel Begins Reform Of Its Air Forces, Focused Towards Reinforced Northern Defenses

Israel Begins Reform Of Its Air Forces, Focused Towards Reinforced Northern Defenses

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On August 13th, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) published plans for the development of the Israeli Air Force in the coming years.

Air Force Commander, Major General Amikam Norkin, summed up the necessary work to improve the effectiveness of the Air Force and their training for the coming years.

Some of the points of the program are designed for a decade ahead, others are shorter-term.

The coronavirus pandemic, the deteriorating economic situation in Israel and in the world, as well as a general view of the strategic situation in the Middle East played an important role in the program.

As a result, it was decided to accelerate a number of plans for the future and implement them in the coming years.

The common goal of all these steps is to increase combat effectiveness on the one hand, save money and use resources more efficiently on the other.

The program includes:

  1. Creation of the 7th air wing (“Kanaf 7”) – a wing of the Air Force Special Operation Forces. Officially established on July 12th 2020 at Palmachim Air Force Base.
  2. The disbandment of the 117th squadron (F-16C Block 30) at the Ramat David base in October 2020. This was announced back in May. The Air Force is transferring two F- squadrons to this base. This means that all Barak aircraft of the Air Force (F-16C / D) will be concentrated in Ramat David, consisting of 101st (F-16C Block 40), 105th (F-16D Block 40) and 109- 1st (F-16D Block 30) squadrons. This step will strengthen the air force in the north of the country, near the main potential theaters. This will also lead to saving funds, since the logistics and maintenance will be focused in one base.
  3. The Hatzor base will lose all combat aircraft squadrons. The Air Force is transforming this base into a “UAV and reconnaissance base”. In July 2019, the 100th Light Transport Squadron was relocated here, one of the main tasks of which is visual reconnaissance. The 420th squadron of combat aircraft simulators is also located here. As far as is known, there are no UAV squadrons at the base yet, but judging by what has been said, it is planned to position them in Hatzor. The Air Force website emphasizes that already 75% of the Air Force’s operational flight hours are performed by UAVs.
  4. The 193rd Marine Helicopter Squadron will receive an SH-60F Sea Hawk (and similar) helicopters, and will be relocated from Ramat David to Palmachim. The base already hosts the 123rd and 124th squadrons of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. As in the case of the Barak, this step will allow the logistics and maintenance of the helicopters to be concentrated in one base.
  5. The Air Force Aviation School, based at BAHA-21 (Haifa), will move to the south, in connection with the desire of the Air Force to concentrate the training process of the Air Force personnel at one base.
  6. The air defense went to an all-Israeli continuous mode of operation, with a high level of integration and central control. The Air Force continues to strengthen its air defense, however, to improve efficiency, it was decided to reduce the deployment of Patriot Defense batteries only at the central positions.
  7. The Air Force Air Traffic Control School was opened on July 19th, 2020 at the Ovda base. It aims to maximize the concentration of all courses for air controllers and air traffic controllers in one place and relieve the operational units from the need to deal with these issues.
  8. Improving the training of pilots – the Flight School adopted Lavi (M-346) aircraft, new training methods, and simulators.

At the same time some other changes (and not only are being introduced such as:

  1. Air Force budget – about 5.5 billion shekels ($1.6 billion) out of 32 billion ($9.4 billion) IDF budget;
  2. Large air force exercises will be held in Germany soon – 2 squadrons of F-16, as well as tankers and AWACS aircraft, will be deployed in Germany; a major exercise will be held in Italy in 2021;
  3. The choice of a new helicopter to be purchased (CH-53K or CH-47) will be made before the end of the year; the option of additional purchase of V-22 is still possible;
  4. 4 KS-46A tanker aircraft will be purchased, the first will arrive in Israel in 2024;
  5. 2 squadrons of new combat aircraft will be purchased – the F-15X squadron (previously it was the F-15IA plus the modernization of the existing F-15I squadron to this level) and the third F-35I squadron.

It is reported that already now the Air Force has 6 operational UAV squadrons at 4 different bases and new ones will be created. So the focus is also heavily moving towards usage of UAVs, despite the expanding fleet of manned aircraft.

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lovethemapples

I wonder what they will do with F16s after all ordered F35s are received. Their jets are upgraded to be integrated with other branches, so not many potential customers also. Keeping them is also expensive.

verner

but if they overspend, there is always the disjointed states of A to bail them out.

Zionism = EVIL

Israel seeking more US and EU aid as economy heads for recession

Aug 16, 2020 @ 13:43

The aid dependent Israeli economy contracted by 28.7pc year-on-year during the second
quarter of 2020, according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Sunday. This sudden decline in the GDP to near recession,after years of a thriving economy, coincided with the coronavirus lockdowns from March, and is the most substantial recorded in Israel for40 years.

verner

when the jew-economy in the illegally occupied palestine implodes and the handouts of american taxpayers’ taxes dries up, it will be a day to remember.

Zionism = EVIL

The Americunts are dying like dogs and literally starving as the UN report says that 100 million Americunts are suffering “food insecurity”. I don’t think they can offer much as the UNSC vote clearly showed. Americunts are a global deadbeat joke now.

Ashok Varma

The US and west in general are in very poor state financially, economically and socially and will not be able to provide more money to a parasitic Zionist regime which has no future. Israel was a bad investment and will go belly up like a ponzi scheme.

tzatz

Dream … Dream … Dream … Dream

It was a hit song … once upon a time … eh?

tzatz

Japan … Russia … the USA et al have economic problems too

Hello?

lovethemapples

jews don’t overspend, thats the issue. Thats why I wonder if they already found a client

verner

for one thing, the jew economy is not sufficient to run the country and they are dependent on subsidies from the disjointed states of A plus vast amounts collected from jews embedded/entrenched in different societies in the world – so called quislings and/or fifth columnists (in regard to their host nations).

Zionism = EVIL

Don’t forget the Jew Goldman Sachs and Bernie Maddoff style ponzi scams in the west. They rip off billions from western taxpayers, literally bankrupted Americunts, Spain, Greece and Italy.

lovethemapples

I don’t disagree with that. They get around 30bln injected into the economy. That is one thing. I am talking about another thing.
My point, I see no reason why they wouldn’t cash in on F16 sales and get rid of unnecessary expense.

verner

would seem a bit precipitous to sell off the f16s if the replacement is the dud f35. not even jews would get themselves into such position although if they do a lot of problems will be done with.

lovethemapples

they still will have f15. from technical point of view f35 can easily replace f16, as long as the fix the issues. but i don’t think issues are much a deal. all jets have it, the only thing is that this one costed a lot. Hence wouldn’t hurt to sell f16, to offset some costs.

tzatz

The USA has to approve to whom they’d sell the planes too … hello?

lovethemapples

i wrote that too. read the full thread before posting

tzatz

NO … I didn’t read YOUR post

next

Lone Ranger

Since the Flop-35 is a hangar Queen I assume they will need every F-15 and F-16 they already have.

MikeH

The large fighters are an incredible platform. F15 only needs 1 wing to land. :) https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4a64165293e45025f23cc0e67f4e3c5c3c16e8c7c11bd245b6c8af095b6f5fde.jpg

Jets

Yup, saw this a long time ago on TV :-)))

Zionism = EVIL

Confirmed: Iran and Russia to Co-Produce Su-30 Fighter Jet

Iran’s defense minister revealed that Tehran is set to receive the Su-30 fighter jet at an undisclosed future date.

Lone Ranger

Good news.
Iran will need at least 300 of them at a bare minimum.
Combined with SAMs Iranian airspace should be a one way ticket for every intruder.

occupybacon

Probably UAE and KSA will offer them basses.

lovethemapples

I would think of a country that cannot physically go against Israel. Those jets are like keys to Israeli Air Defense systems. Either downgrade which is a waste of money or sell to a country with same air defense systems.

occupybacon

KSA, UAE, Jordan will buy everything us needed to integrate everything :)

lovethemapples

Even Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan seems a better option than those 3. But I somehow think India might be an option (if approved by US).
US obviously would prefer Ukraine, but they got no money for western weapons. And they are too expensive just to donate.

Zionism = EVIL

Hope they do, as that will be their end too. Dubai will turn into a parking lot as it can be hit by base bleed 175mm artillery from Abu Musa island in the Persian Gulf.

Ashok Varma

90% of UAE population is foreign born, mostly South Asian and highly paid western expats, a single shell at Dubai airport would shut the place down and result is a real exodus. The Wahhabi corrupt regimes are really living in glass houses.

Антон С

The order for new F-15X says that the F-35 do not meet the requirements and will not be ordered in large numbers. Just 1 squadron by plan.

lovethemapples

Im talking about F16s of Israel not F15s

Zionism = EVIL

The stupid paranoid Zionist leeches are scared shitless of Hezbollah, they can reorganize their dumbass to kingdom come, but it will save the child killers. They would be lucky to get off the ground as Hezbollah and Iranian precision missiles will shut down each of the 5 major operational bases in minutes.

Lux et Veritas

Israeli military grounds Black Hawk helicopter fleet after spate of malfunctions and accidents

The IDF said on Monday that the fleet of Black Hawk aircraft was now being grounded for all non-operational flights after they suffered a number of malfunctions “over the past two months.” Until the end of the investigation into the problems, the fleet will be grounded, the IDF said on Twitter, save for combat operations. The IDF has recently been plagued by a series of accidents and low operational capability.

tzatz

What sort of punishment of Lebanon do YOU forsee in the next War in Lebanon?

The F-35 will make the next War in Lebanon a blood bath … it’s capable of 1000’s of missions in a day …

200,000 DEAD Lebanese in the first 72 hours … TOTAL COLLAPSE of society ensues … NO FOOD … NO WATER … NO nothing

next

guest

Israel is floundering as Hezbollah gets stronger by the day.

Lone Ranger

The wicked flee when non pursue…

John

pfffft, ……….. time to roll in the mud.

Business management and military management are two completely differnt things. Business management is about supply and costs. Military management is about supply, combat readiness and force preservation. Fellas, I am not seeing much military management here. It reads like a corporate reshuffle. For one, by grouping all of these types of aircraft together, to save money, they are making each a juicier target….. one base to hit, one warehouse to destroy maintenance facilities, ect, ect, ect.

This is a no protection value propaganda move in my view. Israel has zero geographical depth, especially where modern missles are involved. They can dance and sing but, nothing chnages that.

Saladin

military management is about preparing for the reference scenarios.
the reference scenario of Israel in 1975 included five, hostile and very capable air forces
Egypt Jorden and Syrias air froces parked on its border
as well as
Iraqi and Saudi air forces within a striking distance.
The Jordanian, Egyptian and Saudi air forces are now
allies of Israel.
the Syrian Air Force was decimated
the Iraqi Air Force is an anti insurgent Air Force
that operates propeller driven aircrafts
Iran does not have the ability to reach Israeli airspace
they are not a threat
In a situation like that Israel can disband their air defense
and park their airplanes on the tarmac and nothing will happen
but because they are jews
and are believe that everyone are out to kill them
they still work on based on a reference scenarios that requires AA and underground aircraft bunkers

John

Thanks for the opinion Sladin. I don´t quite know what to make of it.

Zionism = EVIL

lol

johnny rotten

If they need reform, it means they weren’t as powerful as they’ve always falsely claimed, fear can be seen on their ass faces.

<>

Lovely article, we do need to put more focus on the ground forces and not just on the IAF. But overall I am happy with what we have at the moment, although it saddens me to see my corrupted government stopping the army from doing its job.

Zionism = EVIL

HUSH stupid CUNT :)

Nassim7

By concentrating their maintenance in single locations to save money, they are making themselves more vulnerable to rocket attacks. Typical accountant thinking.

cechas vodobenikov

is this a rearrangement of empty chairs?