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(Source: Israel Air Force; issued Sept. 25, 2013)
It is almost 40 years old, but it is perfectly fit and though many years have passed since it started its service in the IAF, the IAI "Kfir" is one of the most surprising exports of the IAI. From outside it looks almost the same, but on the inside, technology from the second decade of the 21st century is installed, making it a fighter that can do anything on the modern battlefield
"It was the evening of Israel's Independence Day and high above Ben Gurion Airport a triangular winged fighter plane rolled in and performed maneuvers with grace and precision. What made the inaugural flight noteworthy is the fact that after years of relying on French and American fighter planes, Israelis now manufacture a plane with their own hands".
IAF Magazine opened its August 1975 edition with these very words. Four months prior, on the eve of Independence Day, two Kfir planes were delivered to the IAF and the vision of the "Israeli fighter plane" became a reality with the inaugural flight described in IAF Magazine.
While it is fixed in the national consciousness as the first Israeli fighter plane, few people know that today, almost 40 years after that evening in Ben Gurion Airport, the Kfir ('Lion" in Hebrew) has leapt into the 21st century, a leap that has brought with it the best of technology and armaments of 2013 and has made it a plane with diverse and attractive capabilities.
New, Brand New
"In the critical area of 'see first - shoot first', the Kfir has capabilities that are no less powerful than the capabilities of any western or eastern fighter plane of the fourth generation (F-16, F-15, Eurofighter, Rafal, MiG-29, Sukhoi-30) and is a first class competitor with planes that are not equipped with stealth technology produced in recent decades", says Oren Aviram, Director of Marketing and Business Development in the "Lahav" factory of the IAI.
More:Israel Offers Kfir Block 60 to NATO Countries
Roaring Back
It is almost 40 years old, but it is perfectly fit and though many years have passed since it started its service in the IAF, the IAI "Kfir" is one of the most surprising exports of the IAI. From outside it looks almost the same, but on the inside, technology from the second decade of the 21st century is installed, making it a fighter that can do anything on the modern battlefield
"It was the evening of Israel's Independence Day and high above Ben Gurion Airport a triangular winged fighter plane rolled in and performed maneuvers with grace and precision. What made the inaugural flight noteworthy is the fact that after years of relying on French and American fighter planes, Israelis now manufacture a plane with their own hands".
Colombia is currently the biggest operator of the Israeli Kfir fighter, and has a fleet of 24 aircraft, all upgraded to the same, modern standard. Neighboring Ecuador operates another Mirage III variant, the South African-developed Atlas Aviation Cheetah, also in an upgraded version. (FAC photo)
IAF Magazine opened its August 1975 edition with these very words. Four months prior, on the eve of Independence Day, two Kfir planes were delivered to the IAF and the vision of the "Israeli fighter plane" became a reality with the inaugural flight described in IAF Magazine.
While it is fixed in the national consciousness as the first Israeli fighter plane, few people know that today, almost 40 years after that evening in Ben Gurion Airport, the Kfir ('Lion" in Hebrew) has leapt into the 21st century, a leap that has brought with it the best of technology and armaments of 2013 and has made it a plane with diverse and attractive capabilities.
New, Brand New
"In the critical area of 'see first - shoot first', the Kfir has capabilities that are no less powerful than the capabilities of any western or eastern fighter plane of the fourth generation (F-16, F-15, Eurofighter, Rafal, MiG-29, Sukhoi-30) and is a first class competitor with planes that are not equipped with stealth technology produced in recent decades", says Oren Aviram, Director of Marketing and Business Development in the "Lahav" factory of the IAI.
More:Israel Offers Kfir Block 60 to NATO Countries
Roaring Back
