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Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Kfir C.2/F-21A Lion
In the early 1960s, the Israeli Air Force was equipped with the French-built Dassault Mirage III fighter jet. While the Mirage III was an excellent air-to-air fighter, it lacked the ground attack capabilities the Israelis required. At the request of the Israeli Air Force, the French company Dassault designed a new version they dubbed the Mirage V. However, a French arms embargo in the wake of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War halted the aircraft's delivery.
Following the Mirage V's halt, the Israeli military undertook a daring operation to develop their own jet fighter. Through a bold act of industrial espionage, they acquired the technical specifications and thus, the Nesher was born—an unlicensed version of the Mirage V. The Nesher made its combat debut in the pivotal Yom Kippur War of 1973. By 1975, an enhanced version, powered by a license-built General Electric J-79, the same engine used on the American F-4 Phantoms, was in service. This new aircraft was christened the Kfir, which translates to 'lion cub' in Hebrew.
On June 27th, 1979, the Kfir demonstrated its prowess near the Port of Sidon in Lebanon. On that day, Kfirs, along with F-15 Eagles, were assigned to cover an aerial attack on terrorist targets. A dogfight with Syrian MiG-21s ensued, resulting in five MiGs being shot down and the Kfir registering its first air-to-air victory. This marked the beginning of a series of successful anti-terrorist actions for the Kfir, which was eventually withdrawn from frontline service starting in 1995.
A total of 25 modified Kfirs were leased to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from 1985 to 1989 as aggressor aircraft in dissimilar air combat training. The Kfir C.1s received the U.S. Naval designation of F-21A Lion. It simulated the most challenging enemies that naval aviators could expect to encounter. They were modified as unarmed adversaries: mock opponents in Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT). Today, six Kfirs are still in use by The Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), a civilian defense contractor providing tactical adversary training to the U.S. military. Kfirs had also served in the Air Forces of Columbia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka.
This Kfir C.2, BuNo 999734, was given to the museum as a gift from the Government of Israel. Its tail carries the markings of the 144th Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, VF-43 ("Challengers") of the U.S. Navy, and VMFT-401 ("Snipers") of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Kfir C.2/F-21A Lion
In the early 1960s, the Israeli Air Force was equipped with the French-built Dassault Mirage III fighter jet. While the Mirage III was an excellent air-to-air fighter, it lacked the ground attack capabilities the Israelis required. At the request of the Israeli Air Force, the French company Dassault designed a new version they dubbed the Mirage V. However, a French arms embargo in the wake of the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War halted the aircraft's delivery.
Following the Mirage V's halt, the Israeli military undertook a daring operation to develop their own jet fighter. Through a bold act of industrial espionage, they acquired the technical specifications and thus, the Nesher was born—an unlicensed version of the Mirage V. The Nesher made its combat debut in the pivotal Yom Kippur War of 1973. By 1975, an enhanced version, powered by a license-built General Electric J-79, the same engine used on the American F-4 Phantoms, was in service. This new aircraft was christened the Kfir, which translates to 'lion cub' in Hebrew.
On June 27th, 1979, the Kfir demonstrated its prowess near the Port of Sidon in Lebanon. On that day, Kfirs, along with F-15 Eagles, were assigned to cover an aerial attack on terrorist targets. A dogfight with Syrian MiG-21s ensued, resulting in five MiGs being shot down and the Kfir registering its first air-to-air victory. This marked the beginning of a series of successful anti-terrorist actions for the Kfir, which was eventually withdrawn from frontline service starting in 1995.
A total of 25 modified Kfirs were leased to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from 1985 to 1989 as aggressor aircraft in dissimilar air combat training. The Kfir C.1s received the U.S. Naval designation of F-21A Lion. It simulated the most challenging enemies that naval aviators could expect to encounter. They were modified as unarmed adversaries: mock opponents in Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT). Today, six Kfirs are still in use by The Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), a civilian defense contractor providing tactical adversary training to the U.S. military. Kfirs had also served in the Air Forces of Columbia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka.
This Kfir C.2, BuNo 999734, was given to the museum as a gift from the Government of Israel. Its tail carries the markings of the 144th Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, VF-43 ("Challengers") of the U.S. Navy, and VMFT-401 ("Snipers") of the U.S. Marine Corps.