Lo IAI "Kfir", in ebraico: כפיר, "Leoncino"

Lo IAI Kfir (in ebraico: כפיר, "Leoncino") era un caccia multiruolo prodotto dalla israeliana Israeli Aircraft Industries, derivato del Mirage III/5. Rispetto al suo predecessore questo si differenziava principalmente per il motore J79 di seconda generazione, che sostituiva il vecchio Atar 9C, fornendo all'apparecchio una spinta di circa due tonnellate superiore rispetto al suo predecessore, oltre che per altre caratteristiche migliorate. Con una fusoliera più stretta, alette canard per una migliore manovrabilità ed una elettronica migliorata, il Kfir è stato un cacciabombardiere economico e robusto dalla massa contenuta. Il motore era inoltre lo stesso usato dall'F-4E Phantom II e dall'F-104S Starfighter, caratteristica quest'ultima che rende interessante il confronto tra i due cacciabombardieri.

Storia del progetto

Premessa

Il Dassault Mirage IIIC fu il primo caccia israeliano supersonico e fu per un lungo periodo la spina dorsale dell'Heyl Ha'Avir, l'aeronautica militare israeliana, anche dopo aver introdotto l'A-4 Skyhawk e soprattutto l'F-4 Phantom II che avrebbe dovuto sostituire il Mirage III nel suo ruolo di intercettore. Nonostante il Mirage IIIC si fosse dimostrato di gran lunga il velivolo più efficace nel ruolo di caccia per la supremazia aerea, tanto che dopo un breve periodo il F-4 Phantom II fu sostituito nel ruolo di intercettore dal ben più vecchio Mirage, il suo raggio di azione limitato ne imponeva alcuni limiti nell'utilizzo come cacciabombardiere.

Su richiesta dello stato di Israele, la Dassault Aviation iniziò quindi a sviluppare una versione migliorata del Mirage III, indicata come Mirage 5, più adatta al ruolo di cacciabombardiere. Quando nel 1968 i 50 velivoli ordinati furono pronti per la consegna, a causa degli accordi internazionali come conseguenza della guerra dei sei giorni, il governo francese mise sotto embargo militare lo stato di Israele e i velivoli non poterono essere consegnati.

Solo grazie all'intervento del Mossad, i servizi segreti israeliani, lo stato di Israele venne in possesso dei progetti per costruire autonomamente il modello e poté produrre un numero consistente di questi velivoli pur non disponendo della licenza necessaria. I velivoli prodotti da Israele furono costruiti con il nome di Kfir, una sorta di ibrido tra la cellula del Mirage III e il motore dell'F-4 Phantom II.

In seguito l'esperienza acquisita contribuirà allo sviluppo da parte dell'ufficio tecnico della IAI di un altro modello derivato dal Mirage 5, lo IAI Nesher.

Sviluppo

Lo sviluppo di questo velivolo fu principalmente attribuito alle operazioni di spionaggio del Mossad, il quale fu in grado di procurarsi i progetti del Mirage III francese che fecero da base progettuale per la costruzione del Kfir. Di seguito i progettisti del IAI svilupparono il progetto per migliorarne le qualità. Come prima cosa si dovette però trovare un motore da sostituire a quello francese del Mirage III che a causa dell'embargo non poteva più essere fornito.

Si prese quindi in considerazione di sostituire il motore di costruzione francese o con un turbogetto General Electric J79 o con un turboventola Rolls-Royce Spey. Alla fine si decise di utilizzare il J79 che veniva già utilizzato sul McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II e che lo stato di Israele aveva acquistato su larga scala a partire dal 1969 e del quale poi ne produsse alcune unità su licenza.

Per fare posto al J79 che vantava dimensioni maggiori rispetto ai motori francesi si dovette accorciare la fusoliera del velivolo e allargare le prese d'aria. Un rivestimento in titanio intorno alla parte posteriore del motore proteggeva fusoliera ed impianti del velivolo da calore emanato dal motore turbogetto.

Un primo prototipo biposto dotato del J79 decollò per la prima volta nel settembre del 1970. Una versione migliorata fu poi pronta nel 1971.

Un'ulteriore versione migliorata, identificata con il nome di "Ra'am", fu poi presentata nel 1973. Dotata di avionica di nuova generazione, un carrello d'atterraggio rinforzato e con l'aggiunta di tecnologia israeliana poteva inoltre vantare un serbatoio per il combustibile delle dimensioni di 713 galloni.

Nonostante questa ultima versione fosse decisamente superiore alle versioni prodotte in precedenza restano seri dubbi sul fatto che questo velivolo sia stato messo in servizio, anche se alcune fonti non ufficiali riferiscono che sia stato usato durante la guerra del Kippur nel 1973.

Impiego operativo

Il Kfir entrò in servizio con la IAF nel 1975 con le prime unità assegnate alle squadriglie. Negli anni successivi il numero di Kfir andò mano mano aumentando tanto che il Kfir divenne il caccia intercettore primario del IAF, anche se mantenne questo ruolo solo per un breve periodo, dal momento che a partire dal 1976 furono consegnati i primi F-15 Eagle.

Il Kfir partecipò poi per la prima volta ad una operazione militare nel novembre del 1977 in un bombardamento aereo di un campo di terroristi nel sud del Libano a Tel Azia. Il 27 giugno 1979 un Kfir abbatté un MiG-21 siriano, questo è l'unico abbattimento mai effettuato da un Kfir israeliano.

Dal 1982 con l'invasione del Libano da parte di Israele gli F-15 e gli F-16 avevano preso il ruolo di intercettori al posto del Kfir, che poteva quindi esser utilizzato come aereo d'attacco al suolo in quanto capace di operare senza scorta dal momento che era in grado di affrontare da solo anche caccia nemici.

Mercato internazionale

Dal momento che il Kfir è stato dotato di tecnologia americana compreso il motore J79, tutti i velivoli potevano essere esportati solamente con l'approvazione del U.S. State Department. Ciò nonostante il Kfir fu venduto in numero limitato ad alcune nazioni del Sudamerica ed allo Sri Lanka.

Stati Uniti

Venticinque Kfir modificati furono utilizzati dalla U.S. Navy e dal U.S. Marine Corps dal 1985 fino al 1989 nel ruolo di aggressor durante delle esercitazioni. Questi velivoli denominati F-21 Lion furono noleggiati dagli Stati Uniti e furono sottoposti ad alcune modifiche minori per migliorarne la manovrabilità a basse velocità. I 12 velivoli noleggiati dalla U.S. Navy furono messi a disposizione del VF-43, che operava dalla base aerea di NAS Oceana. Tutti i velivoli furono sostituiti entro il 1988 da dei F-16N. I tredici velivoli messi a disposizione del United States Marine Corps furono utilizzati dal VMFT-401, che operava dalla Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. I velivoli furono infine rimpiazzati da dei F-5E nel 1989. Dal 1997 i Kfir sono passati sotto la responsabilità di ATAC (Airborne Tactical Advantage Company), società di contractors che gestisce servizi addestrativi. La ATAC ne possiede ancora 6 esemplari, totalmente ricondizionati nel 2003.

Colombia

A partire dal 1989 la Colombia ha acquistato un lotto di 12 velivoli di seconda mano da Israele. I velivoli forniti in versione C.2 e TC.2 furono aggiornati allo standard C.7 prima di essere forniti alla Fuerza Aérea Colombiana. La Colombia utilizzò i velivoli per combattere i guerriglieri ed i narcotrafficanti. Nel febbraio del 2008 il governo colombiano ha richiesto allo stato di Israele la vendita di ulteriori 24 velivoli aggiornati allo standard C.10 per i monoposto, C.12 per i biposto da addestramento.

Ecuador

Nel 1981 l'Ecuador acquistò dieci velivoli di seconda mano da Israele, che furono consegnati alla Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana a partire dalla fine del 1982. I velivoli furono utilizzati dal 2113rd Squadron stazionato alla Taura AFB nella parte occidentale del paese.

Nel 1995 l'Ecuador utilizzo i suoi velivoli in alcuni combattimenti aerei durante il conflitto con il Perù. Il 10 febbraio 1995 un Kfir C.2 abbatté un Cessna A-37B Dragonfly della Fuerza Aérea del Perú con un missile Shafrir 2.

In vista del ritiro dal servizio attivo dei suoi SEPECAT Jaguar l'Ecuador sta valutando l'acquisto di ulteriori otto velivoli. A fine del 2005 l'Ecuador aveva perso 4 dei dieci velivoli in incidenti aerei.

Sri Lanka

Tra il 1995 ed il 1996 l'Aeronautica militare dello Sri Lanka acquistò sei Kfir C.2 e un Kfir TC.2 da Israele, numero integrato da ulteriori nove velivoli acquistati nel corso del 2000. Lo Sri Lanka ha utilizzato i propri velivoli per contrastare i ribelli del LTTE durante la guerra civile terminata nel maggio 2009.

Versioni

• Kfir-C1 : prima versione di serie.
• Kfir-C2 : versione di serie definitiva.
• Kfir-C7 : versione migliorata ottenuta per aggiornamento della C2.
• Kfir-TC : varianti biposto.
• F-21 : denominazione di un certo numero di Kfir-C2 noleggiati dall'US Navy.
• Nammer : variante proposta per l'esportazione, compatibile con propulsori Atar 9K50 e F404.
• Kfir 2000 : variante migliorata proposta principalmente per l'esportazione.
• Kfir C-10 : altra variante proposta per l'esportazione.

Utilizzatori

• Colombia - Fuerza Aérea Colombiana - 12 Kfir C-7 acquistati nel 1989-1990. Nel 2007 fu varato un programma per portare a 24 i Kfir in servizio, e tutti aggiornati agli standard C10/12, attraverso l'upgrade dei 10 superstiti e nuove acquisizioni. 18 Kfir C.10 e 3 Kfir TC.10 in servizio al luglio 2018.
• Ecuador - Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana
• Israele - Heyl Ha'Avir
• Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka Air Force
• 16 tra Kfir C.7 e Kfir TC.2 consegnati tra il 1995 ed il 2005, dei quali solo 7 sono ancora in carico a tutto il 2017 (uno solo in condizioni di volare) e 9 andati distrutti.
• Stati Uniti - United States Marine Corps Aviation - United States Navy - Airborne Tactical Advantage Company.

ENGLISH

The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir (Hebrew: כְּפִיר, "Lion Cub") is an Israeli-built all-weather multirole combat aircraft based on the French Dassault Mirage 5, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-built version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine.

Development

Background

The project that would ultimately give birth to the Kfir can be traced back to Israel's need for adapting the Dassault Mirage IIIC to the specific requirements of the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

The all-weather, delta-winged Mirage IIICJ was the first Mach 2 aircraft acquired by Israel from then-close ally France, and constituted the backbone of the IAF during most of the 1960s, until the arrival of the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk and, most importantly, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, by the end of the decade. While the Mirage IIICJ proved to be extremely effective in the air-superiority role, its relatively short range of action imposed some limitations on its usefulness as a ground-attack aircraft.

Thus, in the mid-1960s, at the request of Israel, Dassault Aviation began developing the Mirage 5, a fair-weather, ground-attack version of the Mirage III. Following the suggestions made by the Israelis, advanced avionics located behind the cockpit were removed, allowing the aircraft to increase its fuel-carrying capacity while reducing maintenance costs.

By 1968, Dassault had finished production of the 50 Mirage 5Js paid for by Israel, but an arms embargo imposed upon Israel by the French government in 1967 prevented deliveries from taking place. The Israelis replied by producing an unlicensed copy of the Mirage 5, the Nesher, with technical specifications for both the airframe and the engine obtained by Israeli spies. Some sources claim Israel received 50 Mirage 5s in crates from French Air Force (AdA), while the AdA took over the 50 aircraft originally intended for Israel.

Design

The Kfir programme originated in the quest to develop a more capable version of the IAI Nesher, which was already in series production. After General De Gaulle embargoed the sale of arms to Israel, the IAF feared that it might lose qualitative superiority over its adversaries in the future, which were receiving increasingly advanced Soviet aircraft. The main and most advanced type of aircraft available to the IAF was the Mirage, but a severe problem developed due to the Mirage fleet's depletion due to attrition after the Six-Day War. Domestic production would avoid the problem of the embargo completely; efforts to reverse engineer and reproduce components of the Mirage were aided by Israeli espionage efforts to obtain technical assistance and blueprints from third party Mirage operators.

Two powerplants were initially selected for trials, the General Electric J79 turbojet and the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan. In the end, the J79 was selected, not least because it was the same engine used on the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, which the Israelis began to acquire from the United States in 1969, along with a license to produce the J79 themselves. The J79 was clearly superior to the original French Atar 09, providing a dry thrust of 49 kN (11,000 lbf) and an afterburning thrust of 83.4 kN (18,750 lbf).

In order to accommodate the new powerplant on the Mirage III's airframe, and to deliver the added cooling required by the J79, the aircraft's rear fuselage was slightly shortened and widened, its air intakes were enlarged, and a large air inlet was installed at the base of the vertical stabilizer, so as to supply the extra cooling needed for the afterburner. The engine itself was encased in a titanium heatshield.

A two-seat Mirage IIIBJ fitted with the GE J79 made its first flight in September 1970, and was soon followed by a re-engined Nesher, which flew in September 1971.

An improved prototype of the aircraft, with the name Ra'am B ("Ra'am" means "Thunder"; the "Ra'am A" was the Nesher), made its first flight in June 1973. It had an extensively revised cockpit, a strengthened landing gear, and a considerable amount of Israeli-built avionics. The internal fuel tanks were slightly rearranged, their total capacity being increased to 713 US gal (2,700 l).

There were unconfirmed reports that a number of the original Mirage IIICs, re-engined with the J79 and given the name Barak ("Lightning"), took part in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, but some sources point out that there is no evidence that these aircraft ever existed.

Operational history

Israel

The Kfir entered service with the IAF in 1975, the first units being assigned to the 101st "First Fighter" Squadron. Over the following years, several other squadrons were also equipped with the new aircraft. The role of the Kfir as the IAF's primary air superiority asset was short-lived, as the first F-15 Eagle fighters from the United States were delivered to Israel in 1976.

The Kfir's first recorded combat action took place on November 9, 1977, during an Israeli air strike on a training camp at Tel Azia, in Lebanon. The only air victory claimed by a Kfir during its service with the IAF occurred on June 27, 1979 when a Kfir C.2 shot down a Syrian MiG-21, the only air victory in Israeli service. 

By the time of the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982 (Operation Peace for Galilee) the IAF was able to use both its F-15s and F-16s for air superiority roles, leaving the Kfirs to carry out unescorted strike missions. Shortly afterwards, all IAF C.2s began to be upgraded to the C.7 version, with enhanced weight performance, making the Kfir more suitable to its new fighter-bomber role. During the second half of the 1990s, the Kfirs were withdrawn from active duty in the IAF, after almost twenty years of continuous service.

Israel Aerospace Industries announced in August 2013 it will offer pre-owned Kfir fighter jets to foreign customers, with a 40-year guarantee. Unit price is reported to be $20 million. A few Eastern European and Latin American countries have expressed interest, Israel's Globes business daily reported. By October 2013, Israel Aerospace Industries was in "very advanced negotiations" with at least two air forces interested in the Kfir Block 60. An aircraft can be delivered within one year, with two squadrons to be sold in two to three years. The Block 60 is offered with the Elta EL/M-2032 with open architecture avionics to allow a customer to install other systems. The sensor provides an all-aspect, look-down/shoot-down performance in air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, with the capability to simultaneously track up to 64 targets. The J79 has been overhauled to zero flight hours, and would need replacement after 1,600 hours.

Foreign service

Since the J79 turbojet engine is an U.S. design, although manufactured under license in Israel, all export sales of the Kfir are subject to prior approval being granted by the U.S. State Department, a fact that has limited the sale of the Kfir to foreign nations.

As of 2006, the IAI Kfir has been exported to Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka.

Colombia

As a result of a trade agreement between Colombia and Israel in 1989 the Colombian government bought a batch of 12 ex-IAF Kfir C.2s and one TC.2, which were delivered to the Colombian Air Force (FAC) in 1989–1990. Since then, all the C.2s have been upgraded to the C.7 variant. The FAC Kfirs have been widely used in ground-attack missions during counter-insurgency operations against Colombian terrorists. Colombian Kfirs are armed with Python 3 IR-homing AAMs. As of 2004 two aircraft had been lost in accidents.

In February 2008, Colombia signed a deal with the Israeli government for an additional 24 ex-IAF Kfir aircraft. It was estimated that these aircraft will most probably be upgraded by Israel Aerospace Industries to C.10 standard.

In June 2009, IAI delivered the first batch of upgraded Kfirs to the Colombian Air Force in a ceremony held at IAI's facilities in Israel. In attendance at the ceremony was Juan Hurtado Cano, the Colombian Ambassador to Israel, high-ranking officers from the Colombian Air Force, and executives from the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD-SIBAT). This was a part of a multi-year contract awarded in late 2007 and worth over $150 million to upgrade the existing Colombian Air Force Kfirs, and to supply additional jets. The additional Kfir jets, models C.10-C.12, have been upgraded and improved to include IAI's latest technologies and products.

On July 20, 2009, a Kfir crashed near the city of Cartagena. The Israeli pilots operating the plane were unharmed in the incident, but the jet itself was destroyed. Israel Aerospace Industries said in a statement that the plane was flying a refresher flight, and that the aircraft didn't come to a stop on the landing strip, landing outside it. The director of the Israel Aerospace Industries announced that an investigation into the incident had already begun and that a panel to probe the crash had been appointed.

On July 22, 2009, Israel Aerospace Industries informed the Colombian Air Force that the accident was caused by an unspecified human error. As a result, Israel Aerospace Industries will replace the unit lost with another one and it will resume delivery to the Colombian Air Force.

On November 1, 2013, two Colombian Air Force IAI Kfirs intercepted Russian Air Force Tu-160s that had entered Colombian airspace. The Russian aircraft had taken off from Simón Bolívar International Airport Venezuela.

On October 10, 2017, Colombian IAI Kfirs were updated with the EL/M 2052 AESA Radar and incorporated the I-Derby-ER Active Air to Air Missile and the Python-5 Air to Air Infrared Missile.

As 2019, 23 Colombian IAI Kfirs in service.

Ecuador

In 1981, Ecuador and Israel signed a sales agreement for ten refurbished and new ex-IAF Kfir C.2s and two TC.2s, which were delivered to the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) in 1982–1983. The Kfirs formed the 2113rd Squadron (Lions) of the FAE's 21st Fighter Wing, based at Taura AFB, on the Ecuadorian western lowlands.

The FAE Kfirs went into action during the 1995 Cenepa War between Ecuador and Peru. Relying on its fleet of subsonic A-37Bs for low-level ground-attack missions on Peruvian positions, the Ecuadorian Air Force held back its Mirage F.1s and Kfir C.2s for use as escorts and interceptors. On February 10, 1995, a Kfir C.2 shot down a Peruvian Air Force Cessna A-37B with a Shafrir 2 IR-homing AAM.

In 1996, with tensions still running high between Ecuador and Peru, the Ecuadorians acquired four additional Kfirs (three C.2 and one TC.2) after securing approval from the U.S. State Department.

In 1998, with its aging squadron of SEPECAT Jaguar fighter-bombers about to be withdrawn from active duty, Ecuador began talks with Israel for the sale of a new batch of eight Kfirs. Fearing an escalation of the arms race in South America (Peru had recently acquired 18 MiG-29s and 18 Su-25s from Belarus), the United States blocked the deal. As an alternative, Ecuador and Israel signed an agreement in 1999 for the delivery of two Kfir C.10s and for the conversion of an undisclosed number of the FAE's original C.2s to the C.10 version, referred to in Ecuador as Kfir CE, featuring a Helmet Mounted Display System, and armed with Python 3 and Python 4 IR-homing AAMs.

By 2005, Ecuador had lost four Kfirs, including one TC.2, due to accidents since the aircraft entered service in 1982.

Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) acquired six Kfir C.2s and a single TC.2 in 1995–1996. A further nine aircraft had been added to the inventory by 2005, including four C.2s and four C.7s acquired in 2000. Currently the SLAF operates two TC.2s, two C.7s and six C.2s by the No. 10 "Fighter" Squadron. The SLAF used their Kfirs to carry out attacks against LTTE rebels during the Sri Lankan Civil War in Sri Lanka. Two Kfir C.7s were destroyed on the ground in an LTTE attack on SLAF Katunayake air base, part of Bandaranaike International Airport, on 24 July 2001. Three others were lost in non-combat related accidents during the Civil War period. None were lost in aerial combat. In March 2011, two Kfirs collided in mid-air during an airshow practice sortie.

United States

Between 1985 and 1989, the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps leased 25 examples of the Kfir C.1, which were officially designated F-21A Lion and modified for use as unarmed adversaries: mock opponents in dissimilar air combat training (DACT). These aircraft had narrow-span canard foreplanes and two small rectangular strakes, one on either side of the nose, which considerably improved the aircraft's maneuverability and handling at low speeds.

The 12 F-21 aircraft leased to the U.S. Navy, painted in a three-tone blue-gray "ghost" scheme, were operated by Fighter Squadron 43 (VF-43), based at NAS Oceana, Virginia. In 1988, they were returned and replaced by the F-16N. The 13 aircraft leased to the U.S. Marine Corps were operated by Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401), a 4th Marine Aircraft Wing/ Marine Corps Reserve squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. In addition to the blue-gray painted aircraft, the USMC also had some F-21s painted in Israeli colors and desert "flogger" schemes (named because they were to represent the schemes often worn by Warsaw Pact MiG-23 "Floggers"). The Kfir was utilized because they both shared the common characteristic of being very fast (Mach 2+) and fast-accelerating aircraft with relatively poor maneuverability. The MiG-23 was targeted as the "enemy" aircraft because at this time the MiG-23 was being introduced in very large numbers, and was a very capable aircraft compared to earlier Soviet types. These USMC F-21 aircraft were replaced by F-5E aircraft when the F-21s were returned in 1989 (although this left the training units without any aircraft capable of accurately simulating the Mach 2+ and fast-accelerating MiG-23).

Six Kfirs are also used by the US firm Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), a civilian defense contractor that provides tactical adversary aircraft services to the US military. ATAC provides airborne tactical training, threat simulation, and research & development. ATAC's corporate headquarters and primary operating location is at Patrick Henry International Airport in Newport News, VA, with additional permanent operating locations at US Naval Air Stations and Marine Corps Air Stations in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Japan. ATAC also operates Hawker Hunter F.58s. On March 6, 2012, an ATAC Kfir, FAA registration N404AX, crashed while landing at NAS Fallon, Nevada after a flight supporting the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center. The pilot, retired USN Captain Carroll "Lex" LeFon, was fatally injured.

Potential users

In the early 1990s, IAI was looking to export 40 Kfir-C fighters to Taiwan in a deal estimated to have been worth US$400 million to $1 billion; however, the deal ultimately fell through.

During 2013, the Argentine Air Force commenced negotiations with Israel for 18 Kfir Block 60 fighters as an alternative to another deal for 16 ex-Spanish Mirage F1 fighters. During mid-2014, industry sources claim IAI will "soon" receive an order from the Argentine Air Force for Kfir Block 60s after their purchase of surplus Spanish Mirage F1s failed.

Variants

• Kfir C.1: Basic production variant.
• F-21A Kfir: 25 upgraded Kfir C.1 aircraft were leased to the USN and USMC for an aggressor role and were designated F-21A Lion. These aircraft had been modified and included canards on the air intakes. These canards greatly improved the aircraft maneuverability and slow speed control, and were adopted on later variants.
• Kfir C.2: An improved C.1 that featured many aerodynamic improvements. Changes included "dogtoothed" leading edges on the wings, small strakes under the nose and a larger sweep angle of the canards.
• Kfir TC.2: A two-seat training variant developed from the C.2. It has a longer and lowered nose to improve the pilot's view.
• Kfir C.7: Vastly modified variant. Most if not all C.2 aircraft were modified to this variant. It included an improved J79-GE-J1E engine that offered more 1,000 lbs of thrust at full afterburner (and as a result increasing the Maximum Take-off Weight by 3,395 lbs), 2 more hardpoints under the air intakes, better avionics such as the Elta EL/M-2021B radar, HOTAS configured cockpit and inflight refueling capability.
• Kfir TC.7: A two-seat training variant developed from the C.7.
• Kfir C.9: Proposal for Argentina powered by Atar 9K50. Cancelled. Later developed as South Africa's Atlas Cheetah
• Kfir C.10: A variant developed especially for export. The most important change is the adaptation of the Elta EL/M-2032 radar. Other changes include HMD capability and two 127×177mm MFDs. This variant is also known as Kfir CE ( Ecuadorean version ) and Kfir COA (Colombian version).
• Kfir TC.10: Upgraded version of the TC.7 for the Colombian Air Force.
• Kfir C.12: Upgraded version of the C.7 for the Colombian Air Force, a C.10 without the Elta EL/M-2032 radar.
• Kfir Tzniut: Reconnaissance version of the C.2.
• Kfir Block 60: Upgraded version of the C.10, The main feature of this variant is the use of AESA radar, proposed to the Bulgarian Air Force and Colombian Air Force. As of January 2014 Argentina is reported to be interested in a US$500m deal for eighteen Block 60 to replace its planned acquisition of second-hand Mirage F1M from Spain.
• Kfir NG: Upgraded version, short for Next-Generation. Offered to current and former operators Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, revealed at Paris Air Show 2019.

Operators

IAI Kfir Operators 2010

Current

• Colombia
• Colombian Air Force : 23 in service as 2019.
• 111 Combat Squadron
• Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka Air Force.

Former

• Ecuador
• Ecuadorian Air Force
• Israel
• Israeli Air Force
• 101 Squadron
• 109 Squadron
• 113 Squadron
• 144 Squadron
• 149 Squadron
• 254 Squadron
• United States
• United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
• Was used as adversary fighter aircraft in the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) program, popularly called TOPGUN. Retired from U.S. Navy service in 1988 and U.S. Marine Corps service in 1989.

Aircraft on display

Argentina C-432 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Morón, Buenos Aires.

Israel

010 - Kfir C.2 displayed as a gate guardian at Ovda Airport.

310 - Kfir TC.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

419 - Kfir RC.2 Tzniut on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

451 - Kfir RC.2 Tzniut on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

514 - Kfir C.7 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

529 - Kfir C.7 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

664 - Kfir C.2 mounted on a pylon in Beersheba.

712 - Kfir C.1 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

742 - Kfir C.1 on display at Madatech in Haifa.

814 - Kfir C.2 on display at Ramat David Airbase.

826 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

853 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

869 - Kfir C.2 on display at Hatzor Airbase.

874 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

875 - Kfir C.2 preserved in the Givat Olga neighborhood of Hadera.

886 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

895 - Kfir C.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

988 - Kfir TC.2 on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

BuNo 999725 - F-21A Kfir on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

BuNo 999764 - F-21A Kfir on display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim Airbase.

Sri Lanka

CF-712 - Kfir C.2 mounted on a pylon at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum.

SFM-721 - Kfir C.7 on display at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum.

SFM-5207 - Kfir C.2 displayed outside of SLAF Colombo in Colombo.

United States

BuNo 999734 - F-21A Kfir on display at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Specifications (Kfir C2)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 15.65 m (51 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 8.22 m (27 ft 0 in)
• Height: 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in)
• Wing area: 34.8 m2 (375 sq ft)
• Airfoil: 3.5&[53]
• Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,061 lb)
• Gross weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × IAl Bedek-built General Electric J79-J1E turbojet, 52.9 kN (11,900 lbf) thrust dry, 79.62 kN (17,900 lbf) with afterburner.

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (1,520 mph, 1,320 kn) above 11,000 m (36,089 ft)
• Maximum speed: Mach 2
• Combat range: 768 km (477 mi, 415 nmi) (ground attack, hi-lo-hi profile, seven 227 kg (500 lb) bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 l (340 US gal; 290 imp gal) drop tanks)
• Service ceiling: 17,680 m (58,010 ft)
• Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,900 ft/min).

Armament


• Guns: 2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannon with 140 rpg
• Rockets: assortment of unguided air-to-ground rockets including the Matra JL-100 drop tank/rocket pack, each with 19× SNEB 68 mm rockets and 66 US gallons (250 liters) of fuel
• Missiles: 2× AIM-9 Sidewinders or Shafrir or Python-series AAMs; 2× Shrike ARMs; 2× AGM-65 Maverick ASMs
• Bombs: 5,775 kg (12,732 lb) of payload on nine external hardpoints, including bombs such as the Mark 80 series, Paveway series of LGBs, Griffin LGBs, SMKBs, TAL-1 OR TAL-2 CBUs, BLU-107 Matra Durandal, reconnaissance pods or Drop tanks.

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