IAI Kfir
attack aircraft family by Israel Aircraft Industries
The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir or IAI Kfir is an Israeli fighter-bomber aircraft. It is based on the French Mirage 5 but with an american turbojet and avionics.[1] It is a single or dual seat.
IAI Kfir in Madatech museum, Haifain 2008 | |
Role | Fighter-bomber. |
National origin | Israel |
Manufacturer | Israel Aircraft Industries. |
First flight | 1970 |
Introduction | 1975 |
Status | Active |
Primary user | Heyl Ha'Avir. |
Number built | 225 |
Unit cost |
4.5 millions $
|
![](http://up.wiki.x.io/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/IAI_Kfir_C2_3-view_line_drawing.jpg/220px-IAI_Kfir_C2_3-view_line_drawing.jpg)
Users
changeWhen Israel stopped using Kfir in 1996, the aircraft was sold to foreign countries.[2] Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka bought some of them. Between 1985 and 1989, the U.S. Navy rented twenty five single-seat Kfir, as F-21A.[3] American Kfir were used for dissimilar air combat training, for simulation of Soviet fighter aircraft like MiG-23 Flogger.
Sri Lanka used the Kfir against the Tamils Tigers[4] rebellion.
Bibliography
change- Frawley, Gerard, The international directory of military aircraft 2002/2003 . London : Aerospace Publication, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
- Gaillard, Pierre, Avions et hélicoptères militaires d'aujourd'hui Paris, France : Larivière éditions, 1999. ISBN 2-907051-24-5.
- Kaminsky, Tom, The United States Military Aviation Directory, London : Airtime Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-880588-29-3.
References
change- ↑ (in French) http://www.avionslegendaires.net/avion-militaire/i-a-i-kfir/
- ↑ "IAI Kfir - CombatAircraft.com". www.combataircraft.com.
- ↑ "F-21 Kfir Fighter Jet".
- ↑ (in French) http://www.aviationsmilitaires.net/display/aircraft/47 Archived 2012-09-15 at the Wayback Machine