FI Nesher 1976 - 0587

FLIGHT International, 10 April (976 883 Continued from facing page, top radar, the other two possibly two different type of air-to-air radar. The most probable supplier is Elta Elec- tronics although it is not known whether, for example, the Cyrano II radar of the Mirage III was ever made under licence, giving Israel experience on which to build. The multi-role nature of the Kfir s emphasised by the wide variety of armament it is able to carry. Two internal 30mm Defa cannon (foreground) are standard—these are built under licence, and have been for many years, by Israel Metal Industries (IMI), which also makes the ammunition. Like the Mirage 5, Kfir has four wing and three fuselage hardpoints, able to carry a total of 4,000kg. Behind the Defa in the photograph is a 3,0001b bomb and behind that a l,3001it fuel tank. In the line of bombs either side of the 3,0001b weapon are two cluster bombs, possibly based on the US Rockeye; Israel is known to have several versions using basically the same casing, again thought to be built by IMI. Alongside the aircraft nose are two SUU-23 20mm Vulcan gun pods and these are flanked by various fuel tanks, rocket pods and flare dispensers. Also clearly visible are two Shafrir air-to-air missiles which are claimed to have achieved a 60 per cent kill rate in operational use, shooting down more than 100 aircraft since entering service. Although Kfir is now firmly established in full-scale service, it almost certainly took no part, in its present form at least, in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. At the aeroplane's unveiling last year, Gen Peled denied that it had fought in the war although unofficial sources were adamant that about 40 had been operational. It now seems that these "extra" Mirages were in fact Neshers, interim-standard aircraft probably with new Israeli-built airframes but still powered by the Snecma Atar engine rather than by the General Electric J79 of the Kfir. Although the J79 installation is known to have been tried by this time, IAI had to spend a matter of years overcoming formidable cooling problems.

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Transcript of FI Nesher 1976 - 0587

FLIGHT International, 10 Apr i l (976 883

Continued from facing page, top

radar, the other two possibly two different type of air-to-air radar. The most probable supplier is Elta Electronics although it is not known whether, for example, the Cyrano II radar of the Mirage III was ever made under licence, giving Israel experience on which to build.

The multi-role nature of the Kfir s emphasised by the wide variety of armament it is able to carry. Two internal 30mm Defa cannon (foreground) are standard—these are built under licence, and have been for many years, by Israel Metal Industries (IMI), which also makes the ammunition. Like the Mirage 5, Kfir has four wing and three fuselage hardpoints, able to carry a total of 4,000kg. Behind the Defa in the photograph is a 3,0001b bomb and behind that a l,3001it fuel tank. In the line of bombs either side of the 3,0001b weapon are two cluster bombs, possibly based on the US Rockeye; Israel is known to have several versions using basically the same casing, again thought to be built by IMI.

Alongside the aircraft nose are two SUU-23 20mm Vulcan gun pods and these are flanked by various fuel tanks, rocket pods and flare dispensers. Also clearly visible are two Shafrir air-to-air missiles which are claimed to have achieved a 60 per cent kill rate in operational use, shooting down more than 100 aircraft since entering service.

Although Kfir is now firmly established in full-scale service, it almost certainly took no part, in its present form at least, in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. At the aeroplane's unveiling last year, Gen Peled denied that it had fought in the war although unofficial sources were adamant that about 40 had been operational. It now seems that these "extra" Mirages were in fact Neshers, interim-standard aircraft probably with new Israeli-built airframes but still powered by the Snecma Atar engine rather than by the General Electric J79 of the Kfir. Although the J79 installation is known to have been tried by this time, IAI had to spend a matter of years overcoming formidable cooling problems.