Tel Nof Airbase (Hebrew: בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר תֵּל נוֹף, English: Lookout hill) (ICAO: LLEK), also known as Air Force Base 8, is the oldest and main base of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) located 5 km south of Rehovot, Israel. Tel Nof houses two strike fighter, two helicopter and a UAV squadron. Also located on the base are the Flight Test CenterManat and several special units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), among others Unit 669 (heliborne Combat Search and Rescue, CSAR) and the Paratroopers Brigade training center and its headquarters.[1]
No. 76 Operational Training UnitVickers Wellington - Formed at RAF Aqir on 1 October 1943, equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk.IIIs and Xs to train night bomber crews for squadrons in the Middle East, disbanding on 30 July 1945.[3] 76 OTU, despite operating Wellingtons, were also working up crews for B-24 Liberators. After completion of their course those crews were passed on to Liberator conversion units.[4][5]
Gallery
A Greek pilot in front of a British Hawker Hurricane at RAF Aqir, 1939-1943
After the British withdrawal from RAF Aqir in 1948, the base was renamed Ekron Airbase after the Israeli village Kiryat Ekron north of it and, from 1950, Tel Nof Airbase (English: Lookout hill). The name "Tel Nof" dates back to the 1930s, when the area was known by this name as an urban development area, similar to the then-thriving "Tel Aviv" (English: Spring hill).
First Israeli fighter aircraft
On 29 May 1948, the first four fighter aircraft Avia S-199 of the first aircraft squadron 101 "First Fighter" of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) took off from here for their first mission, an attack on the Ad Halom Bridge in the eastern outskirts of Ashdod, which was in the hands of Egyptian troops. Important was less the modest military success of this operation than the shock to the Egyptian soldiers when they saw with their own eyes that Israel now had an Air Force.
On 17 August 1948, Ekron Airbase (later Tel Nof Airbase) was officially and ceremoniously opened. Hatzor Airbase and Ramat David Airbase taken over from the British soon followed. The IAF Flight Academy was installed at Tel Nof in 1955 until it was moved to the newly built Hatzerim Airbase in 1966.[6]
During the 1948 Palestine War there was a provisional paratroopers unit in Israel, which was expanded from the beginning of the 1950s into a regular Paratroopers Brigade, whose headquarters and training center is still located at Tel Nof to this day. This brigade and its units has since been involved in many important operations in Israel's wars, such as: the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War, where the conquest of the Old City of Jerusalem with the capture of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall by Israeli paratroopers was particularly remembered.
Inauguration of the Paratroopers Memorial on Yom HaZikaron 1960
Moshe Dayan lays a wreath at the Paratroopers Memorial in 1969
The Paratroopers Memorial in 2020 west of Tel Nof at National Road 40
Training jump of paratroopers shortly before sunset in May 2010
Six-Day War
As late as the Six-Day War in June 1967, French fighter jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation played a leading role in the IAF, such as the Mystère IV, the Super Mystère and the Mirage III. Some of these were also stationed at Tel Nof at that time. In the mid-1960s, Israel had commissioned Dassault to build an improved version of the Mirage III that was specifically tailored to the needs of the IAF, as they needed a ground attack aircraft in a desert environment. The first examples of this version, called the Mirage 5, were supposed to be delivered in 1967, but this never happened.
The French-built fighter jets – except the Mirage 5 – now on display at the IAF Museum near Hatzerim Airbase:
In response to the Six-Day War, the delivery of 50 already produced and largely paid for Dassault Mirage 5 to Israel was stopped by French PresidentCharles de Gaulle, as he no longer wanted to supply new offensive weapons to the former ally. After Israeli commando units blew up 14 Lebanese airliners at Beirut Airport on the evening of 28 December 1968 in Operation Gift, using French transport helicopters Super Frelon from Tel Nof and naval boats supplied by France, de Gaulle then imposed a total arms embargo on Israel.[7][8]
Despite the French arms embargo Tel Nof Airbase had been steadily expanded over the years, and during the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, seven air squadrons operated at the base. While the Six-Day War 1967 was still characterized by French-made fighter aircraft, US ones now dominate.
The seven squadrons at Tel Nof during the Yom Kippur War:
The total of twelve (or sixteen) Super FrelonTzirʿa transport helicopters that Israel had received from France before the embargo were stationed in the 114 Squadron "Night Leaders" at Tel Nof from 1966 to 1991 and were retrofitted with more powerful US engines until they were finally all decommissioned. The more than twenty French but German-built Nord Noratlas transport aircraft of the 103 Squadron "Elephants" at Tel Nof were in service there from 1956 to 1978. Most of them were former machines of the German Air Force (Deutsche Luftwaffe) or were built under license in Germany and handed over or delivered to Israel from the early 1960s.
French-made Super FrelonTzirʿa transport helicopter of 114 Squadron "Night Leaders" during the 1960s
From 1976, the then new F-15A/B EagleBaz fighter jets were introduced with 133 Squadron "Knights Of The Twin Tail", which made Israel the first country in the world outside the United States to possess this aircraft. Because the landing of the first three planes was delayed on that Friday, 10 December 1976, the reception ceremony was also delayed and only ended shortly before the beginning of Shabbat. As a result, some government ministers didn't have enough time to return home before the start of Shabbat. Its "desecration" led to a government crisis and ultimately to the collapse of the coalition of the first government of Yitzhak Rabin.[9]
On 1 October 1985, under the name Operation Wooden Leg, ten two-seat F-15B/D EagleBaz from Tel Nof (two of them in reserve) attacked the headquarters of the PLO near Tunis. On their 2,300 km long flight to the destination on the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia the F-15s were refueled several times by two Boeing 707Re'em. The headquarters were completely destroyed and – depending on the source – 50 to 75 PLO fighters were killed, including many leaders, but not Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The action was condemned without dissent in the UNO, and the USA also criticized it because it strained its relationship with Tunisia. The eight F-15 jets from Tel Nof involved received a corresponding symbol (target cross in the red circle with a wooden leg, see picture in the gallery below).[14]
The F-15I EagleRa'am of the Flight Test CenterManat at Tel Nof (see special symbol on tail) during an exhibition in 2017
From 2029, fifty F-15IAs, based on the USAF's new F-15EX Eagle II, will replace the aging F-15A/B/C/D Baz at Tel Nof[15]
Today
Today (2024), Tel Nof is home to two strike fighter jet and two transport helicopter squadrons as well as a drone squadron. Also located there is the Flight Test CenterManat with one example of all aircraft variants (see F-15I Eagle Ra'am in the gallery above and F-35I Adir in the gallery under "Units"). Several special units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are also located there, including Unit 669 heliborne Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and the training center for the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade.
Since January 2019, the so-called "Red Baron" Squadron has been operating at Tel Nof to train Israeli and German soldiers on the IAI Eitan (Heron TP) UAV. IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) has built its own version of this UAV for the German Air Force, whose crews are now being trained by Israeli soldiers and technicians. This unit is the only non-fully Israeli squadron within the IAF.[16]
In November 2020, a brand-new F-35IAdir from the USA landed directly at Tel Nov. This specially equipped machine will serve as a test platform at the local Flight Test CenterManat for further improvement of this stealth jet (see gallery under "Units").[17]
At the end of 2021, Israel ordered twelve new CH-53K King StallionWild transport helicopters from the US for two billion dollars, which will complement the CH-53D Sea StallionYas'ur at Tel Nof in the next few years. In July 2023, the 114 Squadron "Night Leaders" was temporarily closed and merged with the 118 Squadron "Night Riders". The former will reopen in the future and accommodate the new CH-53K King Stallion as they arrive from the United States (see gallery under "Units").[18][19][20][21]
The aging F-15A/B/C/D EagleBaz fighter jets at Tel Nof will be replaced in the medium term by new F-15IA (Israel Advanced), which are based on the F-15EX Eagle II. 25 new jets for one squadron have been ordered with the option for 25 more, which will be delivered from 2029. These new, powerful strike fighter jets would be needed to carry heavy bunker-busting bombs that could then be used against Iran's underground nuclear facilities.[22][23] At the same time, at the Hatzerim Airbase 70 kilometers to the south, the 25 F-15I Ra'am jets there are being brought up to the latest F-15I+ standard through fundamental updates.[15][24][25]
During the Gaza War 2023/24, drones of the type IAI Eitan (Heron TP) from Tel Nof are 24 hours a day in the air over Gaza to provide the IDF with target data for its attacks against positions of the terrorist militia Hamas.[26] According to unofficial sources, these drones are also capable of attacking targets on the ground using guided weapons.
In the Iranian strikes against Israel on 1 October 2024, 32 missiles hit the Nevatim Airbase,[27] another main target was the Tel Nof Airbase, the Mossad Headquarters and the Glilot base of the Military Intelligence Unit 8200 both north of Tel Aviv. Independent researchers who examined emerging satellite imagery said, it has caused only limited damage.[28][29]
On 19 April 1974, two CH-53 helicopters from Tel Nof collided over the Rosh Pina Airport in northern Israel. One of the two helicopters was able to land safely, while the other crashed and burst into flames. All eight IDF soldiers on board died. The IAF determined that the cause was human error on the part of one of the pilots, although several helicopters were landing at the same time and the air traffic controller was obviously overwhelmed.[41]
On 10 May 1977, a CH-53 helicopter from Tel Nof crashed during a night training exercise in the Jordan Valley, killing all 54 people on board (including the 10-man crew), making it the worst single-aircraft crash in Israel. The crash site was in the West Bank, about 5 kilometers north of Jericho in a wadi. The cause was determined to be flying at too low an altitude during the dark, which caused the helicopter to strike a hill, crash and explode (CFIT, Controlled flight into terrain).[42][43]
In May 1983, an F-15D EagleBaz #957 from Tel Nov and an A-4 SkyhawkAyit collided in mid-air during an exercise over the Negev desert in southern Israel. While the A-4 pilot ejected, the two-seat F-15D managed to land safely at nearby Ramon Airbase, despite having its right wing almost completely torn off in the collision. This was only possible because the F-15 pilot turned on the afterburners, compensating for the lack of lift. The landing took place at about twice the normal speed, and the jet only came to a stop shortly before the end of the runway. The aircraft manufacturer McDonnell Douglas was so impressed by what was happening that it sent over a new right wing free of charge. The aircraft with the number 957 was repaired and put back into service.[44][45] More than 41 years later it took part in the October 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran (see photo on the right).[46]
On 4 February 1997, two CH-53 Sea StallionYa'sur helicopters of 118 Squadron "Night Riders" from Tel Nof collided in the evening hours over northern Israel while they were carrying soldiers into the Israeli security zone in Southern Lebanon. Both planes crashed, killing all 73 people on board - all male military personnel. The two crash sites were located in the MoshavShe'ar Yashuv (Today's memorial: 33°13′23″N35°38′28″E / 33.222984°N 35.641142°E / 33.222984; 35.641142 (Memorial of the 1997 helicopter crash)) and in an open field near the KibbutzDafna. The crash, which represents the worst Israeli aviation disaster to date, sparked nationwide mourning and is considered one of the main reasons for Israel's decision to withdraw from Southern Lebanon in 2000.[47] The cause of the accident is believed to be that the two helicopter pilots lost visual contact and orientation with each other as they flew towards the Lebanese border with their lights switched off as required.
Remains of one of the two crashed CH-53 helicopters at She'ar Yashuv
Debris of the second crashed CH-53 helicopter near Dafna
Rescue and transport of victims of the two helicopter crashes
Memorial in She'ar Yashuv, one of the two crash sites
The crash site in Romania
On 26 July 2010, a CH-53 helicopter of 118 Squadron from Tel Nof crashed near the town of Brașov in Romania during a Romanian-Israeli military exercise in the Carpathian Mountains. All seven passengers died: four Israeli pilots, two Israeli mechanics and a Romanian liaison officer. An investigation determined that the crash was most likely due to human error.[48]
Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN1-85310-053-6.
Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; with Flynn, Captain F.C. (R.N.) & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2009) [1st. pub. HMSO:1954]. Butler, Sir James (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume I: The Early Successes Against Italy, to May 1941. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN978-1-84574-065-8.
Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN978-0851-3036-59.
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![From 2029, fifty F-15IAs, based on the USAF's new F-15EX Eagle II, will replace the aging F-15A/B/C/D Baz at Tel Nof[15]](File:F-15EX_Eagle_II.jpg)
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