Tomer Bar

Tomer Bar
תומר בר‎
Commander of the Israeli Air Force
Incumbent
Assumed office April 4, 2022
Prime Minister	Naftali Bennett Yair Lapid Benjamin Netanyahu
IDF Chief	Aviv Kochavi Herzi Halevi
Preceded by	Amikam Norkin
Personal details
Born	1969 (age 54–55) Kfar Yehoshua, Israel
Military service
Allegiance	Israel
Branch/service	Israeli Air Force
Years of service	1989–present
Rank	Aluf
Commands	133 Squadron 69 Squadron Tel Nof Airbase Air Force Operations Department Israeli Air Force Flight Academy Tel Nof Airbase IAF Chief of Air Staff IDF Force Design Directorate Israeli Air Force
Battles/wars	Security Zone in Lebanon Campaign Second Intifada Operation Defensive Shield Second Lebanon War Operation Cast Lead Operation Pillar of Defense Operation Brother's Keeper Operation Protective Edge Operation Swords of Iron

Tomer Bar (Hebrew: תומר בר‎; born 1969) is an Israeli general currently commanding the Israeli Air Force. Before his selection to succeed Amikam Norkin as commander of the IAF, Bar served as head of the IDF Force Design Directorate, a reorganized version of what was once the Planning Directorate.^[1]

Biography

Bar was born in 1969, one of six children of Erela and Natan Bar. He enlisted in the IDF in 1987 and completed pilot course with honors in 1989.^[2]

He served as a F-16 fighter pilot with the 110, 116 and 140 Squadrons. After a period of study in the United States, he was assigned as an F-15 pilot with the 133 Squadron in 1998.^[3]

From 1999 to 2002, he served as head of the Operations Branch at the Air Force Headquarters. In 2005, Bar was appointed commander of the 69 Squadron, which was equipped with the F-15I, and commanded the squadron during the Second Lebanon War. During his tenure, the squadron have undertaken Operation Orchard, the destruction of a Syrian nuclear site on September 6, 2007. During his service, he served as head of the Air Force's Operations Department for three years, including during Operation Cast Lead. In 2010, he was appointed commander of the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy, and served in that position until 2012.^[3]

In February 2012, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and appointed commander of the Tel Nof Airbase, where he took part in the training of UAV operators and commanded the base during Operation Pillar of Cloud. On October 17, 2017, he was appointed chief of staff of the Air Force, and served in that position until October 22, 2019, including during the February 2018 Israel–Syria incident. On June 18, 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Major General, and was appointed Head of the IDF Force Design Directorate on June 21.^[4][5]

In September 2021, he was announced as the next appointee of commander of the IAF and on April 4, 2022, Bar was appointed commander of the IAF, replacing Major General Amikam Norkin.^[6][7]

Throughout 2023, he faced the challenge of Air Force reservist pilots refusing to serve in protest as part of their involvement in the 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests. In July 2023, in response to attacks by right-wing politicians and activists against the IDF during the protests, he stated that "the harsh statements said against the IDF and the Air Force, both mandatory service and reserves in recent days, there is no place in our society for such statements, and they are desecrating and are causing great damage to the cohesion of our forces." In October 3, 2023, Bar issued an ultimatum to pilots protesting judicial reform who were refusing to serve that they return to service by October 17 or risk being removed from the Air Force.^[8][9]

On October 7, 2023, militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Israeli soldiers and civilians. The Air Force, under his Bar's command, took part in operations to contain the terrorists who infiltrated Israel during the attack. It also carried out intensive strikes in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon during the Israel-Hamas War and played a significant role in countering the Iranian strikes against Israel in April 2024. Throughout the war, he also flew several combat sorties.^[10]

Awards and decorations

Tomer Bar was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts.

Second Lebanon War

South Lebanon Security Zone

Operation Protective Edge

References

1. Ari Gross, Judah (September 27, 2021). "Tomer Bar picked as next head of the Israeli Air Force". Times of Israel. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
2. "אראלה בר-שירה מכפר יהושע, אמו של מפקד חיל האוויר החדש: "גאווה ואושר"". mynet.co.il. 2021-09-27. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
3. "ראש מטה חיל-האוויר – תא"ל תומר בר". iaf.org.il. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
4. "אלוף תומר בר: "מדינות במערב מחפשות שיתופי פעולה עם צה"ל בפיתוח פרויקטים משותפים"". calcalist.co.il. 2020-12-27. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
5. "מפקד תל-נוף החדש: תא"ל תומר ב". iaf.org.il. 2012-02-12. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
6. Fabian, Emanuel (2022-04-04). "New Israeli Air Force chief Tomer Bar takes up post". Times of Israel. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
7. Ahronheim, Anna (2021-07-05). "New IAF commander announced: Tomer Bar – IDF". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
8. Jacob, Yonah Jeremy (2023-07-20). "Israel's Air Force chief: Attacks on IDF could take years to fix". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
9. "Israeli Air Force chief to protesting pilots: Return to duty by Oct. 17". Jewish News Syndicate. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
10. "חריג: מפקד חיל האוויר השתתף בתקיפת מטרות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה I דיווח". Maariv. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-10-02.