F-16I Sufa: Israel Has a Powerhouse 'Fighting Falcon' Even America Doesn't Fly

Summary and Key Points: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is using its fleets of F-15I, F-16I Sufa, and F-35 Adir jets to conduct airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza. These aircraft, modified to meet Israel’s defense needs, are crucial in disrupting Hamas's infrastructure and neutralizing its personnel. The F-16I "Sufa," with over 300 units in the IAF, is notable for its conformal fuel tanks and advanced targeting systems.

These jets, along with F-35 Adirs and F-15Is, are vital for Israel's security in the ongoing conflict.

What Makes the F-16I and Israel's Air Force So Powerful 

As part of the Israeli Defense Force’s efforts to eradicate the Hamas terror group from Gaza, the IAF is frequently carrying out airstrikes using its fleets of F-15I, F-16I Sufa and F-35 Adir fighter jets. All three of these platforms have been specially modified for the Jewish state to meet the country’s unique defense needs surrounded by hostile adversaries.

As the nine month-long war wages on, these aerial powerhouses will continue to be used to disrupt Hamas’s infrastructure, neutralize its personnel and decimate any of their military establishments. The F-16I “Sufa” is especially one tough fighter. The IAF currently flies the largest contingency of these jets outside of the U.S. Air Force with more than 300 airframes in its arsenal.

Introducing the F-16 Fighting Falcon:

For nearly four decades, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has remained a mainstay of the U.S. Air Force. The multirole single-engine fighter was developed by General Dynamics as an air superiority day jet. Over the years, the platform evolved into an all-weather multirole aircraft that is widely considered to be one of the most legendary aircrafts to ever fly the skies.

Following lessons learned from the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Falcon featured an increased thrust-to-weight ratio that made it a better platform with enhanced air-to-air training for pilots.  The F-16 has nine hardpoints for weapons payloads and can carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder, Raytheon AMRAAM, Raytheon Sparrow and other air-to-air missiles. The air-to-surface missiles that can be carried by the F-16 include HARM, Maverick and Shrike munitions.

F-16I: Israel’s F-16 Fighting Falcon variant

The F-16’s success in the air led the Israeli Air Force to want to procure this sophisticated platform. A contract between the Jewish state and Lockheed Martin was penned in the early 2000’s, illustrating the “strong bond” between the manufacturer and Israel, according to then Lockheed VP of F-16 programs John Bean.

Perhaps the most significant modification that the Israeli F-16I Sufa jets feature is domestically-produced conformal fuel tanks which greatly improve the fuel range of these jets by nearly 50%. Additionally, the position of these larger tanks are located to both sides of the upper fuselage, making the Sufa capable of carrying more weapons than its American counterpart.

Each F-16I Sufa fighter is also fitted with the Elbit Dash IV display, which allows the pilot to direct weapons simply by looking at the target.

As explained by Air Force Technology, “Dash IV shortens the lock-on procedure time for engagements. The helmet measures the pilot’s line of sight to the target so the sensors, avionics and weapons are slaved to the target. Dash IV improves situation awareness by helping the pilots to visually detect targets at high angles off the nose of the aircraft, providing critical information in any direction the pilot looks.”

Since its introduction to service with the IAF, the F-16I Sufa platform has proven itself in various combat operations. In fact, Israel’s F-16I arsenal comprised the majority of aircraft responsible for striking Hamas’ underground tunnel network and weapons depots in the 2021 flare up with the Gaza-based terror group.

Along with the country’s fleets of F-35 Adirs and F-15Is, the Sufa ensure Israel’s security amidst the ongoing Hamas war.

About the Author: Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

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