Israel’s arsenal of weapons is arguably the most superior in the Middle East.
The Israel Defense Forces recently announced plans for the “next stage” of its war against the Gaza-based terror group Hamas. Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir stated that the Israeli military will move ahead with the momentum of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” in an effort to “reshape the security reality” of the Jewish state. Surrounded by hostile neighbors, Israel’s unique security challenges have impacted the nation’s defense expenditure significantly. From fighter jets and air defense systems to drones and main battle tanks, Israel’s arsenal of weapons is arguably the most superior in the Middle East. As Operation Gideon’s Chariots commences, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) will undoubtedly rely heavily on its top-tier aerial fleet in its missions, including the F-15I, F-16I, and F-35I.
The F-15I
Israel’s uniquely modified variant of the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle has served the IAF mightily for decades. Following its initial test flight back in the late 1990s, the F-15I “Ra’am” platform continues to play a critical role in Israel’s aerial strategy alongside other American jets. The formidable fighter is capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 2 (times the speed of sound). While this speed is impressive, where the Ra’am really shines is in terms of range. Specifically, the Israeli platform can fly nearly 2,800 miles without requiring mid-air refueling. Combined with its ability to lug up to 23,000 pounds of ordnance, the F-15I has proven to serve as an effective offensive measure against adversarial air defense and ground targets.
The F-16I
Serving as the mainstay of the IAF’s tactical jet fleet is the F-16I “Sufa” platform. Like the F-15I, this series is also a specially modified version of an American jet, the F-16D block 50/52 Fighting Falcon fighter. The Jewish state received its first batch of Sufa jets in the early 2000s. Notably, the F-16I is equipped with two removable conformal fuel tanks provided by IAI, which increase the platform’s range and endurance. Additionally, this modification doubles the Sufa’s air-to-ground weapons capacity, a huge asset for a country surrounded by hostile neighbors. The Israeli F-16 variant also features advanced electronic warfare measures, including the Elisra SPS 3000 self-protection jammer.
The F-35I
Last, but certainly not least, is the F-35I “Adir” fighter. When it comes to air superiority, Israel’s uniquely modified version of the American-made Joint Strike Fighter is supreme. In fact, some argue that the IAF’s contingent of Adirs is more advanced than its American near-peers. Unlike other Lightning IIs, the Israeli version can be externally modified by the IAF, which can also access the aircraft’s advanced digital architecture, surveillance suite, electronic warfare suite, and communications systems. Notably, Israel’s Adir jets became the first to score a recorded kill in 2021, when one of these jets intercepted two Iranian-launched unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, the Adirs were reportedly the first F-35s to use “beast mode” in combat. In this mode, the jets can feature heftier weapons loads on underwing pylons.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
