Armée Israélienne / Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Citation :

25 avr. 2017 | Par Justine BOQUET

Israël réceptionne trois F-35I



L'armée de l'air israélienne a réceptionné 3 F-35I supplémentaires. © Celia Garison - Israeli Air Forces


Le 23 avril, l'armée de l'air israélienne a réceptionné 3 Lockheed Martin F-35I « Adir » sur la base aérienne de Nevatim. Ils rejoignent les deux premiers F-35I reçu le 12 décembre 2016.

« L'intégration de 3 avions supplémentaires représente une nouvelle étape dans le renforcement des capacités de l'armée de l'air israélienne », a déclaré le Brigadier Général Eyal Grinboim, commandant de la base aérienne de Nevatim.

Les « Adir » appartiennent à l'escadron Golden Eagle (ou Aigle Royal). La livraison de 3 F-35I supplémentaires lui permettent de se rapprocher de son objectif final : atteindre la capacité opérationnelle initiale fin 2017.

Dans cet objectif, depuis décembre 2016, les F-35I ont effectué une douzaine d'heures de vols afin d'entraîner les pilotes et de les familiariser avec les capacités et technologies des aéronefs.

L'armée israélienne devrait réceptionner 3 « Adir » supplémentaires au cours de l'année, pour un contrat portant au total sur 50 F-35I de Lockheed Martin.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/israel-receptionne-trois-f-35i-93657

https://defence-blog.com/news/army/israel-deploys-missile-defense-batteries-around-the-southern-city-of-eilat.html a écrit:

Israel deploys missile defense batteries around the southern city of Eilat

The Israel Defense Forces have deployed its Iron Dome and Patriot missile defense batteries around the southern city of Eilat amid concerns over an attack by Iran or its proxy forces to mark the first anniversary of the killing of powerful Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

Multiple news outlets reported that batteries of Patriot surface-to-air missile system and the Iron Dome all-weather air defense system designed to intercept and destroy regional short-range rockets directed at populated areas were seen Saturday on the road to the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat.

Israeli military redeployed land component air missile defense capabilities and personnel to establish a combined surface-based air defense to deter threats from foreign adversaries, including Iran and its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria.

According to Israeli media reports, the defenses were set up on the run-up to the first anniversary of the killing of Gen. This comes amid concerns Iran may still seek to retaliate for the assassination of Tehran’s top military commander in a US drone strike just over a year ago.

The United States also expanded its presence in the region.

THOMAS NEWDICK - The Drive a écrit:

Israeli Corvette Emerges With A Double Load Of Iron Dome Missiles As Potential Threats Grow

Israel has tested Iron dome on these ships before, but we've never seen two launchers on one of their decks, and the timing is also peculiar.

A photo has emerged of the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 5 class corvette Lahav armed with two Iron Dome air defense system launchers, apparently for the first time. This comes as Israel continues to be on a heightened state of alert as tensions with Iran grow, and amid reports that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen now possess Iranian-supplied “suicide drones” capable of reaching targets within the country.

The photo of the Lahav is not dated and shows the pair of launchers fitted to the ship’s flight deck at the stern. We have previously seen this ship with a single Iron Dome launcher on this aft deck. You can see the photo further down in this article.


All three of the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 5 class corvettes underway

In its basic form, the Iron Dome system consists of launchers firing fast and agile Tamir interceptors, as well as associated air defense radars. The system is primarily designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells, but can also be used against lower-flying aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, as well.

Tamir has an active radar seeker to home in on its targets and receives additional targeting information in flight via a data link to get near its target and make it even more effective. Crucial to its ability to defeat trickier targets is a highly advanced proximity fuse system, able to detect a small and fast-flying target and detonate the missile’s high-explosive blast-fragmentation warhead with perfect timing in order to destroy it. You can read more about exactly how the weapon works in this previous article, as well as the U.S. Army’s limited acquisition of it, here.

Interesante imagen de la INS Lahav (Sa'ar 5) cargando dos baterías Iron Dome a popa. Probablemente estará realizando pruebas para el C-Dome, la versión navalizada de ese sistema que dispondrá de sus propios VLS (silos verticales) en las nuevas corvetas Sa'ar 6.
#Israel #Navy pic.twitter.com/jmeb61TEpC

— Israel Defensa Monitor (Ñ) (@Defensa_Israel) January 17, 2021

It’s possible the Iron Dome batteries — or their C-Dome naval derivative — were installed on Lahav as part of the test campaign for the future weapons systems that will be installed aboard the Israeli Navy’s latest Sa’ar 6 class corvettes. C-Dome employs the interceptor missiles, vertical launchers, and other components from the land-based battle management center, together with the ship’s own surveillance radar. It had been already reported that the Lahav would serve as a testbed for the new class of warships. However, unlike the Sa’ar 5 ships, the Sa’ar 6 class will carry the Iron Dome missiles in fully-integrated vertical launch system arrays. You can read more about these very capable ships — the first of which was handed over in an as-yet unarmed configuration last month — in this previous War Zone article. Still, it is hard to imagine what type of test would require two launchers and their magazines instead of one.


The land-based version of the Iron Dome intercepts a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip

The dual Iron Dome launchers on Lahav could also be related to a test of a new configuration for the Sa’ar 5s or be an actual operational fit for these ships. Israel did declare initial operational capability with C-Dome on these corvettes in 2017. While not as big or as advanced as the forthcoming Sa’ar 6 class, the Israeli Navy’s three Sa’ar 5 boats are still highly capable. These American-built corvettes were acquired in the mid-1990s. They measure 281 feet long and have a displacement of 1,255 long tons fully loaded.



The Sa’ar 5 class ships are equipped with the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR multifunction active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed by IAI’s Elta division and known as “Adir” in Israeli service that can automatically track and engage the full spectrum of aerial threats, from aircraft to sea-skimming missiles, at ranges up to 124 miles. Normal armament comprises Barak surface-to-air missiles, Harpoon or Gabriel anti-ship missiles, and a Mk 15 Phalanx 20mm close-in weapon system (CIWS).

Israeli officials recently confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had moved both Iron Dome and long-range Patriot missile defense batteries to the city of Eilat on the country’s Red Sea coast. While there was no confirmation that sea-based Iron Dome launchers were part of that deployment, the two launchers aboard Lahav would certainly provide additional anti-rocket and artillery capabilities to the coastal town.

Having two launchers aboard also points to this being more than a test program, with an apparent focus on providing additional magazine depth, at the expense of the ability to embark a helicopter. So equipped, the vessel could serve as an anti-air screen to defend against drones and cruise missiles launched from a surface vessel in the Red Sea or lands far to the south, swatting them down before they approach Israeli borders. Similarly, if Israel sees the potential threat of a drone or missile launch from the Mediterranean, the vessel could offer the same capabilities. Hezbollah has sent drones over Israel by way of a route along the shore of Lebanon and into Israel before, as well.

Regardless, additional air defense systems were first reported to have been deployed Eilat around the first anniversary of the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, in the U.S. drone strike that killed him in Baghdad, Iraq on January 3, 2020. Israel has also been bracing itself for possible actions by Iran or its proxies, in revenge for the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, described as the “father of Iran’s nuclear bomb.“ Fakhrizadeh was reportedly killed by Israel’s top intelligence agency Mossad, or individuals working on its behalf, in a complex attack on the car he was traveling in last November 30. Iran has vowed that it will respond in kind to these two killings.

In particular, the Israeli military has reportedly been concerned about a possible attack from an Iran-backed proxy, such as the Houthi militia in Yemen.

The Houthi rebels — whom the United States recently decided to designate as a terrorist group — seized control of much of the west of Yemen in 2015, after which a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states launched a military operation to restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi’s rule. Iran has been a consistent backer of the rebel group, its assistance likely behind the group’s ability to employ ballistic missiles, anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, and remote-controlled suicide boats, as well as suicide drones.


An earlier type of Iranian-made suicide drone, the Qasef-1, one of several examples that have been interdicted or captured in Yemen

The Houthis had previously launched high-profile attacks against targets belonging to Saudi Arabia, their other major antagonist in the region. In 2019, they claimed to have struck Saudi oil infrastructure, reportedly using Iranian-supplied drones and cruise missiles, and there have also been successive attacks on tankers in the Red Sea, most recently in December. The exact origin of those attacks is still hotly debated, with many thinking they emanated from Iran itself or from sites along the Iraqi border with Saudi Arabia.

In a major exercise last week, Iran displayed delta-winged drones bearing a striking resemblance to those that were used in the attacks on the Saudi oil infrastructure.

FINALLY - the Iranian suicide drone (Known from attacks on Saudi Arabia) is used by Iran in military drill and SHOWN (Here attacking mock SAM). pic.twitter.com/VzrvPXA58a

— Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) January 15, 2021

For their part, the Houthi rebels also seem to have been the likely candidates behind the attack on the airport in Aden last month, although they have denied this. You can read all about that incident here.

While Iran has repeatedly denied allegations that it has supplied the Houthis with missiles, drones, and training, recent reports suggest that the rebels now have Iranian-made Shahed-136 loitering munitions, or “suicide drones” in their inventory. With a purported range of between 1,240 and 1,370 miles, these weapons would be able to reach Israel, as well as targets within the wider region, including U.S. bases, and shipping in the Red Sea.

The analysis of the new suicide drones was based on images obtained by Newsweek and confirmed to the magazine by an anonymous expert, but there is little other hard evidence available. Reportedly dating from late December, the images apparently show the Shahed-136 drones in Houthi-controlled territory in the northern Yemeni province of al-Jawf.

My latest EXCLUSIVE: Intelligence seen by @Newsweek appears to show that Iran positions "suicide drones" in Yemen amid a rise in Red Sea tensions.

The Shahed-136 UAVs appear to be in Al-Jawf, where they have a range of 2000 to 2200 kilometers.https://t.co/aQrh7zvLeK pic.twitter.com/VMvHeC6SxG

— ????om ????'ℂonnor (@ShaolinTom) January 14, 2021

Last month, IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman was quoted by the Times of Israel as having told a Saudi news outlet that, while Israel was not aware of any specific Iranian plans to attack Israel, there remained the possibility of an attack by Iranian proxies operating in Iraq or Yemen. He mentioned the threat posed by Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and “smart missiles” deployed in these other countries.

Zilberman added that Israel had information indicating Iran was developing unmanned aerial vehicles and “smart missiles” in Iraq and Yemen, and that the weapons could have the ability to strike Israel. This is where the Iron Dome-equipped corvette may come in.

Overall, if reports are accurate, the deployment of Shahed-136 drones in Yemen would be in line with an increased Iranian military presence around the Red Sea. Speaking last week, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, said that Iran planned to send warships to patrol these waters.

“We are once again in the region of the Red Sea, where the Islamic Republic’s merchant vessels have faced some limited aggression in recent times,” Bagheri said. “We will deploy our naval patrol and establish full security for our oil and commercial fleet in that sea.” That statement was made as Bagheri oversaw the induction to service of two new Iranian warships, including the Makran. This vessel, which you can read more about here, is expected to serve as an Iranian expeditionary sea base and, forward-deployed to the Red Sea, could be of great value in supporting the Houthis.


The 755-foot Makran could become a valuable asset in supporting the Iranian-backed militia operating in Yemen

Israel is also likely to be on heightened alert due to a potential response to its recent spate of attacks on Iranian-backed militia targets in Syria. Here, amid the chaos of the civil war, Iran has been seeking to establish an increasingly robust permanent military presence, from where it can, in turn, support militant groups in the region, including providing advanced weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

IDF Spokesperson Zilberman said last month that Israel had used 500 smart missiles against targets in Syria over the past year. Just last week it was reported that Israel had carried out its heaviest raids on Syrian targets in recent years, the airstrikes on arms depots and military positions killing 57 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Among those said to be killed were Syrian regime forces and Iran-backed fighters.

Tensions between Iran and the United States in the wider region have also been on the increase, with reports that Tehran fears an attack from the United States during the final days of the Trump Administration.

In December, the U.S. Navy publicly announced the transit of USS Georgia, one of its four Ohio class guided-missile submarines, or SSGNs, from the Gulf of Oman into the Persian Gulf by way of the highly strategic and often tense Strait of Hormuz. This was the first time one of these boats has sailed into that body of water in eight years. The rare appearance by an SSGN in the region would seem to be, at least in part, a signal aimed squarely at Iran and its regional proxies. It was followed up earlier this month by the appearance of a video reportedly showing an Iranian Navy Sea King helicopter flying over what was very likely the USS Georgia.


USS Georgia passed through the Strait of Hormuz last December 21, accompanied by two Ticonderoga class cruisers, USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea

Against this backdrop, Iran also recently announced its plans to press ahead with enriching uranium at up to 20% purity, reducing the time it would take for the regime in Tehran to produce weapons-grade level material for use in a weapon, should it choose to do so. This is in clear violation of the controversial international deal that Iran made with the United States, as well as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China, in 2015. In May 2018, Trump announced that the U.S government would pull out of that agreement and the U.S. government subsequently reimposed sanctions against Tehran.

So far, we have yet to see any response from Iran — or any Iranian proxies — against Israel. But the deployment of additional air defense assets to Eilat shows that the IDF has been preparing for just such an eventuality. Should an attack come in the form of cruise missiles and/or suicide drones, a forward-deployed Iron Dome in the Red Sea, or even the Mediterranean, could provide a vital line of defense.

opex360 a écrit:

Israël relèvera dorénavant de l’US CENTCOM

Jusqu’à présent, et comme l’UEFA pour le football, Israël relevait du commandement militaire américain pour l’Europe [US EUCOM] et non de celui pour le Moyen-Orient et l’Asie centrale [US CENTCOM], comme on aurait pu le penser.

En effet, lors de la création de l’US CENTCOM, en 1983, Israël n’était reconnu que par un seul État arabe, à savoir l’Égypte. Aussi, la coordination des actions militaires dans la région du Proche et du Moyen-Orient, comme l’organisation d’opérations et exercices multilatéraux par exemple, aurait été compliquée. D’où la décision de placer l’État hébreu dans la zone de compétence de l’US EUCOM.

La reconnaissance d’Israël par la Jordanie, en 1994, ne remit pas en cause cette organisation. Cela étant, les choses ont évolué ces derniers mois, sous l’impulsion de l’administration Trump.

En effet, les Émirats arabes unis, Bahreïn, le Soudan et le Maroc ont fini par établir des relations diplomatiques avec Israël. D’où la décision du Pentagone [l’une des dernière de l’ère Trump] de revoir la zone de compétence de l’US CENTCOM en y intégrant le territoire israélien.

« L’apaisement des tensions entre Israël et ses voisins arabes, grâce aux accords d’Abraham, offre aux États-Unis une occasion stratégique pour rassembler des partenaires clés contre des menaces communes au Moyen-Orient », a en effet annoncé le Pentagone, le 15 janvier.

Et ce dernier d’ajouter : « Israël est un partenaire stratégique de premier plan pour les États-Unis, ce qui ouvrira des opportunités supplémentaires de coopération avec nos partenaires de l’US CENTCOM, tout en maintenant une coopération étroite entre Israël et nos alliés européens.»

Par le passé, les forces israéliennes et émiraties ont déjà pris part à des manoeuvres aériennes… en Grèce. Cependant, Abu Dhabi n’avais jusqu’à présent jamais communiqué officiellement sur la participation de ses avions de combat à cet exercice, appelé Iniohos. Ce qui n’est plus le cas désormais.

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28881/Israel_Tests_Advanced_Version_of_Iron_Dome_Missile_System#.YBl9Xi27hsM a écrit:

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/israeli-approval-for-purchase-of-us-aircraft-and-arms a écrit:

Citation :

[g3]Israeli air force to buy refueling aircraft, 25 more F-35 fighter jets[/g3]
4 - 5 minutes

The ministerial committee for Israel Defense Forces procurement on Tuesday approved a substantial portion of the plans submitted by the Air Force, to be paid for with the security assistance from the United States. The first stage approved was the purchase of four refueling aircraft and another squadron – Israel’s third – of 25 F-35 fighter planes.

The committee discussion was a continuation of a security cabinet discussion last week, in which a general approval was granted for purchases totaling $9.4 billion from the U.S. military funding, most of it for the air force.

The process of getting approval for the procurement plans was delayed for months because of the lack of a state budget. The IDF itself contributed to the delay because it had difficulty making a decision on how many types of planes and helicopters it needs.

The purchase of the Boeing KC46 refueling aircraft had been deemed urgent. A decision was also made on the force’s mix of aircraft, leading to the decision to acquire another squadron of F-35s, made by Lockheed Martin.

Within a few years, the air force will have 75 F-35s. The IDF also plans to purchase another squadron of Boeing’s F-15s. However, this model is being upgraded by the manufacturer and the army prefers to wait until the improvements are completed.

The ministerial committee also approved the purchase of precise offensive armaments for the air force, and a relatively broad array of interceptor missiles for its defense systems, including the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3, along with an upgrade of these systems’ detection capabilities.

However, no decision has yet been made about which new assault helicopter to buy to replace the veteran Yasur choppers. There are three options: To purchase the newest K model of the Yasur (Sikorsky) helicopter made by Lockheed; the Chinook helicopter made by Boeing, or a small quantity of one of these, along with Boeing’s V-22 Osprey, which combines functions of a helicopter and an airplane. This decision will be made shortly by Defense Minister Benny Gantz, after which it will return to the committee for its approval.

https://twitter.com/Israel_MOD/status/1363828745652568065?s=20 a écrit:

Minister Gantz: “It is essential to the IDF’s ability to carry out a wide range of operational activities. The new helicopter is adapted to the [IAF’s] operational requirements and to the challenges of the changing battlefield.” 2/2 pic.twitter.com/liAx136sTq

— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) February 25, 2021

Citation :

26/02/2021

Israël opte pour le CH-53K « King Stallion » !



Israël a choisi son nouvel hélicoptère lourd avec le Sikorsky CH-53K « King Stallion » pour remplacer l’actuel hélicoptère de transport lourd CH-53D «Yas'ur» vieillissant, a annoncé le ministère de la Défense hier.

Le ministre de la Défense Benny Gantz a choisi le CH-53K à rotor principal unique au lieu du Boeing CH-47F « Chinook » à rotor tandem sur la base des recommandations du chef d'état-major des Forces de défense israéliennes (FDI), le lieutenant général Aviv Kohavi et du directeur général du ministère de la Défense, le général Amir Eshel.

« Il est essentiel pour la capacité de Tsahal de mener un large éventail d'activités opérationnelle s», a déclaré Gantz dans un communiqué publié sur les réseaux sociaux. « Le nouvel hélicoptère est adapté aux besoins opérationnels [de l'armée de l'air israélienne] et aux défis de l'évolution du champ de bataille ».

Premier contrat à l’exportation :

Israël devient le premier pays à acheter le Sikorsky CH-53K « King Stallion » en dehors des États-Unis, où l’appareil est en cours de développement pour le Corps des Marines (USMC). L'armée de l'air israélienne (IAF) a déclaré que le CH-53K avait été choisi après « un travail administratif approfondi, au cours duquel le personnel de l'IAF a examiné diverses plates-formes de vol et évalué des aspects tels que la technologie, l'ingénierie, la maintenance.

L'accord sera probablement conclu dans le cadre du programme américain de ventes militaires à l'étranger (FMS), mais aucune approbation officielle n'a été faite par la Defense Security Cooperation Agency, qui supervise ces ventes d'armes pour l’instant. Mais cette dernière ne devrait pas poser de problème.

Le CH-53K "King Stallion" :

Bien que conçu de la même taille que les CH-53E « Super Stallion », qu’il doit remplacer à partir de 2021, le CH-53K permettra de tripler la capacité de transport de charge externe à plus de 27’000 lb sur une distance de plus de 110 miles nautiques. Doté d’une nouvelle motorisation General-Electric GE38-1B offrant un meilleur couple surmonté d’un rotor de quatrième génération en composite. La cellule est également nouvelle, car entièrement en matériaux composites. Encore plus puissante (ses 3 turbines délivrent environ 7'500ch chacune), ravitaillable en vol, équipé de systèmes de communications de dernière génération, le CH-53K est optimisé pour le transport par temps chaud en opérant à partir de terrains peu préparés et devient la référence de sa catégorie. En matière de transport, le CH-53K peut par exemple emporter en interne une Jeep « Humvee ».




Photos : CH-53K « King Stallion » @ Sikorsky

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2021/02/26/israel-opte-pour-le-ch-53k-king-stallion-870635.html

Today (Sunday), Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jets escorted two American B-52 bombers through Israeli airspace.

This flight is part of the joint strategic cooperation with US forces, which is pivotal in maintaining the security of Israeli and Middle Eastern skies. pic.twitter.com/CViOa3LvBT

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 7, 2021

• نظام الدفاع الصاروخى القبة الحديدية الاسرائيلى اكمل بنجاح سلسلة ثالثة من التجارب
• نجح النظام في اعتراض أسراب متعددة في وقت واحد من طائرات UAV فضلا عن وابل من الصواريخ والقذائف المتعددة
• ترقية كبيره لنظام Iron Dome pic.twitter.com/SQ86uOLB2X

— الدفاع العربي Defense Arab (@defensearab) March 17, 2021

The EurAsian Times a écrit:

Why Is Israel Rejecting Latest F-15EX Jets But Looks Interested To Acquire Older F-15 Fighters?

Israel and the US share a strong military partnership. The Jewish nation, which is already using American fighter jets — the Lockheed F-35 and the Boeing F-15, is likely to buy more aircraft from its closest ally.

Analysts say since Israel has not shown much interest in Boeing’s latest F-15EX, it could be eying the older F-15 fighter jets instead.

Last week, the US Air Force officially accepted the delivery of the first F-15EX fighter at Boeing’s St Louis production facility in Missouri.

The F-15EX fighter is the most advanced version of the F-15 and is expected to assist the USAF’s to meet its capacity requirements and boost its combat capabilities.



The new fighters will be able to carry more munitions than the earlier versions and can launch hypersonic weapons, up to 22ft in length.

According to reports, the airframe of the fighter jets is supposed to be more cost-effective in terms of operation and acquisition. In addition, the F-15EX is likely to complement the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters.

Why Israel Is Not Interested In F-15EX

Apart from the US, Israel deploys a mix of F-15 and F-35 fighters. However, according to reports, the latter does not have plans of purchasing the new F-15EX variant any time soon.

Boeing had earlier identified Israel and India as its potential clients for the F-15EX fighters.

As per Israel’s recent major procurement announcements, the country had formally approved plans for Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers and for the third squadron of F-35I ‘Adir’ stealth fighter jets.

However, there has been no mention of the country looking to acquire the most advanced versions of the F-15 Eagle fighter jets. So, why is Israel not keen on this new American fighter jet?

Prior to Washington’s decision to procure at least 144 F-15EX fighter jets to replace a major portion of the fleet of F-15C/D fighter jets, it had looked at the idea of modifying the older fighters to keep them flying for several decades.

However, the cost of upgrading the older fighter jets under the Golden Eagle roadmap would be extremely high. This is the reason why US Air Force opted for the F-15EX fighters.

Now, chances are high that the older unwanted F-15 fighters would be available for sale, something Israel might be looking at, according to Tyler Rogoway, who writes for TheDrive.

Israel had earlier acquired the F-15D fighter jets from the US at a reasonable price. If a similar deal could be forged between the two nations again, this would mean Israel could acquire the US Air Force’s older F-15 fighters at cheaper rates rather than purchasing the new F-15EX fighters, which would cost more than $80-90 million per fighter, Rogoway argues.

Israel Could Modify Older Fighters

One area in which the Middle East nation is exceptionally good at is modifying the fighter jets according to its needs.

The country has upgraded the F-15A/B/C/D ‘Baz’ as per its specific needs and turned the most capable air superiority fighters into long-range strike platforms.

Moreover, the Israeli F-15 fighters are seen flying without external fuel tanks by rather having conformal fuel tanks.

The modified F-15 fighters serve as the ultimate multi-role fighter jets capable of using both American and Israeli weaponry over great distances. They also perform exceptionally well in the air-to-air domain, thus helping the Israeli Air Force protect its airspace.

According to experts, the fighters are modified in a manner so that they can even work as networking and satellite communications hubs and command and control assets, while also fulfilling their traditional roles.

Currently, Israel has 25 F-15I jets along with the F-35 fighters and new forms of weaponry. So, the country may not be looking to procure newer, fourth-generation fighter jets like the F-15EX.

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29272/Israeli_Air_Force_Receives_AI_Equipped_Oron_Surveillance_Aircraft#.YGsSBC17Ro4 a écrit:

photos:

THE TIMES OF ISRAEL a écrit:

Israeli, UAE fighter jets fly together in large international exercise in Greece

Air forces from eight countries take part in the drill, simulating airstrikes, dogfights and rescues over unfamiliar terrain

Israeli fighter jets are flying alongside Emirati aircraft this week as part of a major international aerial exercise hosted by Greece, simulating in-air dogfights, large airstrikes and rescue operations, the Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday.

This is not the first time that Israeli and Emirati pilots have flown with one another — they both participated in a similar Greek-led exercise in 2017 and an American drill the year before — but it marks a rare case of open military cooperation between the two countries, even following last year’s landmark normalization agreement.

Seven countries are joining Greece in its Iniohos exercise this year: Cyprus, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, France, the United States, Spain and Canada. The exercise kicked off on Sunday and was scheduled to last through Friday.

According to the Israeli Air Force, the drill is meant to simulate a variety of scenarios, including air-to-air combat, strikes on land-based targets and evading attacks from surface-to-air missiles.

“This exercise is an important milestone in the strategic international cooperations between the Israeli Air Force and the different countries through strengthening shared interests,” the Israeli military said.



Dozens of planes from each country are participating in the exercise, which is being held largely along the Greek coast and over the Mediterranean.

The Israeli delegation includes F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, Boeing 707 refueling planes and Gulfstream G550 surveillance planes.

In previous years, Israel has used aerial exercises in Greece as a way to practice against and learn about the Russian S-300 air defense system, which is also used by Iran and Syria. But according to one of the Israeli airmen taking part in the exercise, this year’s exercise did not include that system, though it does include a variety of other land- and sea-based air defense batteries.

“They’re doing something nice: [The Greeks are] involving their navy in the exercise so a lot of times on these ships there are different surface-to-air missiles and cannons that can fire at us. That’s what you’re dealing with,” said the officer, who can only be identified by his rank and first Hebrew initial, Lt. “Yod.”

According to the officer, the different countries participating in the exercise work together to complete different aspects of a shared mission, while a so-called “Red Team,” pretending to be an enemy military, tries to stop them.

“Before each sortie, you get mission orders that include all kinds of protocols, what you have to do. There will be 20 planes from different countries in different formations. So the French will be doing air-to-air combat missions, while the Spanish are looking for ships, while we are searching for and striking targets. That all needs to happen simultaneously because I can’t carry out a strike if there’s a ship [firing surface-to-air missiles at me] or there’s a plane threatening me,” said Yod.

The exercise does not have one overarching narrative or storyline; instead each mission is its own self-contained scenario, said Yod, an F-16 navigator.

He has already taken part in two sorties, one simulating a dogfight and the other a nighttime, low-altitude attack run. On Wednesday, he was scheduled to take part in a scenario simulating the rescue of a pilot who ejected from his aircraft behind enemy lines, He said.

Yod said he was meant to participate in another two or three sorties before returning to Israel.



He noted that the flights back and forth from Israel to Greece were in themselves a useful bit of training as it is a relatively long distance for fighter jets to travel and required them to fly along civilian flightpaths.

For the Israeli pilots, the exercise provides a much-needed opportunity to train over significantly different terrain than they are used to and at extremely low altitudes, under 200 meters (660 feet).

“We are doing ‘hunting’ flights where you fly at low altitude in the mountains here. This is topography that we don’t have in Israel. It’s really amazing. You’re flying through canyons — a mountain on one side and a mountain on the other and it’s all snowy, at altitudes we’re not used to,” he said.

“It prepares you for things that you may deal with operationally,” he added.

Ben Caspit - Al-Monitor a écrit:

Syrian missile exposes Israel’s fragility

The Israeli military is concerned by the failure to intercept a long-range missile fired from Syria.

According to Israeli military assessments, the Syrian anti-aircraft missile that exploded in the pre-dawn hours of April 22 near the southern town of Dimona was not targeting Israel’s nearby nuclear reactor. However, the Israel Defense Forces are concerned about the failure of sophisticated anti-missile defenses to intercept the Syrian missile on its 300-kilometer (190-mile) trajectory to such a strategically sensitive area. The Israeli air force is investigating the failed intercept, which raises troubling questions regarding Israel’s defenses in the event of a widespread escalation along its northern front.

Israel has thus far displayed marked self-confidence regarding the effectiveness of its multi-tiered missile interception systems in defending the civilian population and military and civilian infrastructure. The Dimona reactor, which foreign media describe as spearheading Israel’s nuclear capacity, could be considered Israel’s most vital strategic target.

The explosion of a projectile fired from Syria in the skies above the Dimona area prompted immediate suspicion of an Iranian-inspired retaliation against a series of attacks attributed to Israel on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, specifically the April 11 sabotage at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. The concern proved unfounded.

The incident occurred in the wake of a nighttime air strike on targets in the region of the Syrian Golan Heights that Syria attributed, as always, to the IAF. Syrian air defenses launched several Russian-made SA-5 missiles at the attacking aircraft. One of them missed but continued on its southward flight path, exploding in the sky and scattering pieces near Israel’s most protected facility.

Israel’s anti-missile defenses reportedly detected the projectile upon its launch, monitoring its trajectory as it missed its target and continued south. The order to intercept was given from the IAF’s subterranean operations headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Israel’s multi-tiered anti-missile defenses are probably the most varied and sophisticated in the world. Its Arrow defense system is designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles — Arrow 1 and 2 within the earth’s atmosphere and Arrow 3 above it. The medium-range interception system, named “David’s Sling,” was developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the US defense contractor Raytheon. The David's Sling interceptors, guided by radar and electro-optic sensors, boast great flexibility and have proven to have impressive precision and intercept performance in tests since 2012. The Iron Dome system is designed to intercept short-range missiles and is celebrated for intercepting rockets from Gaza in recent years.

So how did a Syrian anti-aircraft missile, developed in the 1960s, whiz over Israel from north to south without being stopped? The system chosen to head off the Syrian SA-5, apparently either an Arrow or a David’s Sling interceptor, was fired but missed. The missile continued on its way, probably flying over Jerusalem and exploding over the Negev Desert. Some of its pieces landed in a swimming pool in the community of Ashalim, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Dimona, and in several Bedouin villages in the region.

No casualties or damage were reported, but Israel’s self-confidence and pride sustained a blow. If it is unable to intercept a single errant, relatively slow-flying missile in the middle of the night, how would it respond to daily barrages of hundreds or thousands of Hezbollah rockets fired from the north?

The IDF has refuted rumors of an Iranian-sponsored retaliation attempt targeting the Dimona reactor. Syrian anti-missile defenses reportedly launched some 900 missiles against attack aircraft over the past year. “This an unprecedented number,” a senior Israeli military official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “No one in the world fires such quantities of surface-to-air missiles against fighter jets. This is the only theater where it happens.”

Almost all of these Syrian missiles missed their targets, barring the downing of an F-16 fighter a few years ago. Some of the more recent air raids attributed to Israel were carried out by F-35 stealth bombers that evaded the Syrian radar and saved President Bashar Assad the trouble of such intensive and wasteful missile launches.

This is also not the first time a Syrian surface-to-air missile has missed its target and landed hundreds of kilometers away from the launch site. One such rocket landed in Cyprus, another in Lebanon and several in Israel itself. However, this is the first projectile to land near such a sensitive target.

Israel has denied claims that Syria has diverted its anti-aircraft missiles southward specifically to strike targets in Israel. “When you lock onto a plane in the middle of the night, you cannot plan where the rocket you launch will fall,” a senior Israeli military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “It is our assessment that this was a coincidence.”

However, the IAF is increasingly concerned by Iran’s precision cruise missile and “suicide” drone capabilities, as demonstrated by its 2019 strike on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. In order to confront this emerging threat, Israel is now realigning and adapting its interception preparedness. IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin has ordered that all of Israel’s interception capabilities, all its systems on all tiers and in all regions, be unified under one command and nerve center.

In a few years, once this process is completed, every threat targeting Israel launched from anywhere in the world should show up on one screen at the IAF’s operations center. It will save Israel the kind of dilemma it faced this week of deciding which radar system to deploy, whether to intercept the incoming projectile, whether to issue an all-systems alert and warning sirens and where.

“Once everything is combined under one control and command system, the process will be much easier, faster and simpler,” another senior military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Until that happens, however, a troubling weakness has apparently been exposed in what is touted as the most effective and lethal interception system in the world. Israel, with generous US aid, has invested billions of dollars in its missile interception systems and demonstrated impressive, sometimes even stunning capabilities. Syrian rocket parts landing near Dimona point clearly to a flaw in the system’s synchronization.

“It’s a good thing this happened now, the way it did; we will investigate why the missile was not intercepted, why the interceptor missed and where the problem lies,” a former senior military official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “We will locate the weakness and fix it.”

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/05/tkms-hand-over-second-saar-6-corvette-to-the-israeli-navy/ a écrit:

Haaretz a écrit:

Iron Dome Shot Down an Israeli Drone During Israel-Gaza Fighting

During the 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza, the Iron Dome intercepted an IDF Skylark drone from the Sky Rider unit that carries out observation and intelligence gathering missions

Air force soldiers responsible for operating the Iron Dome shot down an IDF drone during the recent fighting in Gaza because they mistakenly identified it as a hostile aircraft, causing great concern among IDF officials.

This unusual incident sent shockwaves through the Air Force, which operates the Iron Dome air defense system – and relies heavily on their ability to identify enemy forces in the skies over Israel and around it.

The intercepted drone was a Skylark, used by the IDF Sky Rider unit that carries out observation and intelligence gathering missions.

The IDF is investigating the incident and is worried about it because the entirety of the IDF’s combat plans prepared in recent years are based on multi-dimensional fighting with close coordination between land, air and sea forces.

The shooting down of a drone raises doubts whether the IDF is sufficiently prepared and possesses the necessary capabilities to conduct a long period of fighting without harming its own forces.
During the Israel-Gaza conflict, representatives from a foreign aviation authority allowed Israel to leave its airspace open to civilian aviation after Israeli officials made the case that the Iron Dome has the capability to distinguish between hostile and non-threatening aircraft.

The IDF Spokesman’s Unit said: “As part of the round of fighting in Gaza and as part of the defense of the country’s skies, an IDF Skylark drone was hit by Iron Dome. The incident is under investigation."

The EurAsian Times a écrit:

Israel Says It Fought World’s First “Artificial Intelligence War” Against Hamas

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have claimed the world’s first use of artificial intelligence (AI) and supercomputing in a war that ensued with Hamas earlier this month.

During its operation Guardian of the Walls, IDF said it relied heavily on machine learning and data gathering for a period of over two years.

“For the first time, artificial intelligence was a key component and power multiplier in fighting the enemy. This is a first-of-its-kind campaign for the IDF. We implemented new methods of operation and used technological developments that were a force multiplier for the entire IDF,” an IDF Intelligence Corps senior officer was quoted by Jerusalem Post as saying.

During the two-week-long war between the two rival factions, the IDF carried out pinpoint airstrikes against Hamas targets deep inside Gaza and killed at least a hundred of their top operatives.

Much of the infrastructure built by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip was destroyed by the Israeli jets, which were targets previously identified through military intelligence.



The Israeli military says it adapted the AI technologies already available in the civilian market to its needs in military intelligence. An advanced AI technological platform was established to centralize all data on militant groups in the Gaza Strip onto one system to aid in the analysis and extraction of intelligence crucial for the operations, the Israeli website adds.

Being at the center of highly unstable regions, Israel has heavily invested in AI and its applications in the military. The country has prioritized the concepts of machine learning and algorithm-driven warfare at the forefront of its research and development for years.

To employ the AI effectively in a war, the system must be fed with tonnes of raw data collected through satellites, aerial reconnaissance vehicles, field agents, ground intel and years of information.

IDF reportedly employed resources like signal intelligence (SIGINT), visual intelligence (VISINT), human intelligence (HUMINT), geographical intelligence (GEOINT) to collect data and feed it into its supercomputers to guide the military towards carrying out effective strikes.

According to the report by JP, it was IDF’s elite intelligence officers in Unit 8200, who pioneered algorithms and code to create advanced programs named “Alchemist,” “Gospel” and “Depth of Wisdom,” which were developed and used during the fighting.

“Gospel” was used by the IDF to evolve intelligent and effective recommendations for officers in the Military Intelligence wing to identify “quality targets” and, subsequently, pass them to the air force to strike.

IDF’s Military Intelligence Unit has dedicated research wings for exploitation of artificial intelligence in warfare, which predict enemy rocket launches, place, and time, helping soldiers on the ground to effectively defend against them.

One such example is the Israeli army’s J6/C4i Directorate’s Lotem Unit whose job is to create software for powerful AI and use machine learning in real-life applications, similar to what tech companies Google, China’s Baidu, or Facebook are doing.

One app created after Israel’s Operation Protective Edge in 2014 by this Unit helped soldiers on the ground predict rocket launches from Gaza using data from field sensors and other sources. It identified the most likely places of launch, approximate timing, and target areas for such projectiles, helping the Israeli troops be better prepared.

One application created by the Lotem Unit can identify suspicious objects from a video and describe the same in writing. The software can analyze dozens of videos simultaneously helping save manpower for the IDF.

In the latest war against Hamas and other Palestinian militant organizations, IDF says it created a multidisciplinary center that helped it produce hundreds of relevant targets, aiding its military to fight and target them all.

The vast information pool wasn’t gathered during the conflict; the data was collected over a period of two years, which helped the IDF in instant targeting. However, real-time data gathering was also underway to identify missile launches.

According to JP, “the military believes using AI helped shorten the length of the fighting, having been effective and quick in gathering targets using super-cognition.”

IDF Unit 9900’s satellites have also played an incremental role in collecting intelligence and helping aid operations against Hamas and PIJ, which helped the military target rocket launchers, rocket manufacturing, production and storage sites, military intelligence offices, drones, commanders’ residences, and other crucial installations.

https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1395222333384691715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1395222333384691715%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurasiantimes.com%2Fisrael-sys-it-fought-worlds-first-artificial-intelligence-war-against-hamas%2F

One notable feature of the current operation has been Israel’s success in pre-identification and targeting of underground tunnel networks used by Hamas. IDF says it carried extensive mapping to identify the hundreds of kilometers of tunnel networks that Hamas has been using for years.

The mapping was again reportedly carried out using intelligence gathered through technological developments and the use of big data to fuse the available intelligence. IDF was able to fully picture the tunnels, their depth and width, the routes, and everything about them, so it knew exactly where to target.

Hamas’s underground tunnel network, called the “Metro”, has been very crucial to its operations against Israel, and now with Israel having the technology to identify and pinpoint them, the group has been deprived of a key combat strategy.

One video posted on Twitter showed Hamas digging out bodies from a tunnel destroyed by Israeli precision airstrikes. This unit was reportedly on its way to attack Israeli troops when a missile dropping from the sky destroyed it, burying the operatives.

https://twitter.com/AAhronheim/status/1396481858599272448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1396481858599272448%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurasiantimes.com%2Fisrael-sys-it-fought-worlds-first-artificial-intelligence-war-against-hamas%2F

The incident showcased Israel’s intelligent use of technology in inflicting heavy damage to the rival groups which, according to IDF, decisively shortened the span of the conflict.

Artificial intelligence is believed to have been used in many attacks in the past, but this is the most comprehensive demonstration of its ability to change the course of a battle.

The health ministry in Gaza claimed that at least 243 Palestinians had died as a result of Israeli bombings during the fighting, which included 66 children, with 1,910 people wounded.

IDF says the use of AI had significantly lessened the civilian casualties, however, the destruction of many civilian and commercial buildings in the airstrikes is being investigated by world bodies, including the UN.

Although a ceasefire has restored some calm to the fighting between IDF and Palestinian militant groups, experts believe that this may not last long.

Citation :

30/05/2021 15:03 | Baptiste Guillou

Israël a abattu l'un de ses drones    

Cet incident pourrait provoquer d'importants changements de procédures pour Tsahal.

Gardien du Mur

Lors de l’opération « Gardien du Mur » qui a vu s'opposer du 10 au 21 mai Tsahal face à diverses organisations terroristes telles que le Hamas ou le Djihad Islamique, plus de 4300 roquettes ont été tirées contre le territoire hébreu, et Tel-Aviv admet avoir effectué plus de 1500 frappes aériennes contre les territoires Palestiniens. Le bilan de cette semaine et demie de combat est très lourd, avec 243 Palestiniens et 13 Israéliens tués ainsi que des milliers de blessés. Fait marquant de ce conflit pour Tsahal, la destruction de l' un de ses drones Skylark par l’une de ses batteries C-RAM Iron Dome. Cet incident, toujours sous le coup d’une enquête, pourrait s’avérer dommageable. En effet, les responsables israéliens se montrent surpris, d’autant plus que le nombre de ces appareils va considérablement augmenter lors des prochaines années. Cet échec pourrait forcer Tsahal à revoir son intégration multi-milieux (terre-air-mer), aujourd’hui très performante, avec un rôle central joué par les drones. De plus, durant ce bref conflit, l’espace aérien israélien avait pu rester puisque Tel-Aviv avait assuré que l’Iron Dome avait la capacité d’opérer de très nettes distinctions entre les différents véhicules aériens.

Le Skylark

Fabriqué par Elbit Systems, il s’agit d’un mini-drone de reconnaissance mis en service depuis 2006 et décliné en différentes versions (1/1LE/2/3). Si le modèle précis n’a pas été dévoilé, il semblerait qu’il s’agisse du Skylark 1, d’un poids de 7 kilos, il dispose d’une caméra couleur ou d’un FLIR pour les opérations de nuit. Lancé à la main, autonome pendant plus d'1h30, et géré depuis une tablette portable, il serait très difficilement détectable... sauf pour l'Iron Dome donc. Il est aujourd’hui en service dans une vingtaine de forces armées (Canada, France, Pays-Bas, Pologne…). En 2008, le COS en avait fait l'acquisition mais les RETEX sur ses performances n'ont pas engendré de commandes supplémentaires.

Quid du système Iron Dome

Il s'agit d'un système de défense aérien conçu pour neutraliser en plein ciel les roquettes, missiles, drones et obus d’artillerie. D’une portée limitée, il peut être utilisé dans toutes les conditions météorologiques. Mis en service à partir de 2011, il est également opérationnel au Etats-Unis, où deux batteries ont été achetées pour tests. Le système se compose de trois sous-ensembles : le radar de détection et de suivi EL/M-2084, une batterie de missiles Tamir avec 20 unités, et un poste de commandement. Le missile Tamir pèse 90 kilos pour une longueur de 3 mètres et un diamètre de 160mm. Sa portée va de 2 à 40 kilomètres. Il est conçu pour exploser à proximité de sa cible qui déclenche ainsi sa propre charge explosive. Le radar EL/M-2084 permet de suivre plus de 120 cibles et d’en engager 20 simultanément. Sa plage de détection va de 5 à 70 kilomètres. Une seule batterie Iron Dome est suffisante pour protéger une zone urbaine d’environ 150 km 2 (soit plus que la superficie de Paris). Ce vecteur fournirait une défense C-RAM et VSHORAD extrêmement efficace. Néanmoins, sa capacité à contrer les menaces émergentes (essaims de drones, missiles de croisières rasants) n’a pas encore été prouvée. Son constructeur travaille à ce titre sur une nouvelle version améliorée.

https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/isral-a-abattu-lun-de-ses-drones-24909