Israeli Air Force aggressor squadron transions to the F-16C/D
Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) “Flying Dragon” Squadron (which is the service only aggressor squadron) has transitioned to the “Barak” (the IAF designation for the F-16C/D), four months after the retirement of the “Netz” (F-16A/B).
The first jet was recently delivered to the unit which held a ceremony in Ovda AFB to celebrate the arrival of the new aircraft.
The so called “Red Squadron,” that retired the Netz in Dec. 2016, is now ready to begin a new chapter, as explained by Maj. Itzik, Deputy Squadron Commander “The ‘Barak’ is an aircraft from a different generation and we feel great excitement and responsibility. We are receiving an advanced operational platform and it is part of our responsibility to keep it one. We understand that we are expected to raise the level of our enemy simulation.”
The future Barak drivers used the unit “Fighter Simulator” (actually an F-16 simulator) to help themselves with the transition to the new machine. “We began to understand its capabilities, its advantages and disadvantages – what it can give”, pointed out Maj. Itzik.
The squadron’s maintenance personnel too underwent an intensive training period in order to ensure their proficiency in the new aircraft.
Thanks to the new F-16C/Ds the “Flying Dragon” Squadron will be able to simulate the capabilities of world’s most advanced fighter jets providing a credible threat during air-to-air combat training.
Israeli F-16s
The IAF operated a total of 362 F-16s, from early F-16A/Bs to the latest F-16I Sufa. All Israeli F-16s are fitted with custom Israeli electronics. Israeli F-16s have been used extensively in combat, and scored 47 kills to date. They were also used in the bombing of the Iraq’s nuclear reactor in Osirak. They had a number of internal changes that were unique to Israeli requirements, including the fitting of chaff/flare dispensers. In 1992 all IAF F-16A/B’s (excluding the latest batch of Netz 2 aircraft) went into an upgrade phase at Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI), where wings were structurally reinforced, and Elbit’s advanced flight and mission management system was installed. The F-16C/D’s named locally “Barak” has been ordered received Israeli ECM systems (manufactured by Elisra), and flight management computers (made by Elbit). The F-16C’s in service by the IDF, is powered by a General Electric F110-GE-100 engine, with an enlarged air intake.
Source: Israeli Air Force
Photo credit: Israeli Air Force
