IAI Kfir

The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir or IAI Kfir is an Israeli fighter-bomber aircraft. It is based on the French Mirage 5 but with an american turbojet and avionics. It is a single or dual seat.

300px|center|alt=
IAI Kfir in Madatech museum, Haifain 2008
Role	Fighter-bomber.
National origin	Israel
Manufacturer	Israel Aircraft Industries.
First flight	1970
Introduction	1975
Status	Active
Primary user	Heyl Ha'Avir.
Number built	225
Unit cost	4.5 millions $

IAI Kfir C2

Users

When Israel stopped using Kfir in 1996, the aircraft was sold to foreign countries. Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka bought some of them. Between 1985 and 1989, the U.S. Navy rented twenty five single-seat Kfir, as F-21A. American Kfir were used for dissimilar air combat training, for simulation of Soviet fighter aircraft like MiG-23 Flogger.

Sri Lanka used the Kfir against the Tamils Tigers rebellion.

IAI Kfir Media

• 

  Ecuadorian Air Force Kfir CE (C.10), showing the refuelling probe and the longer nose of this variant

• 

  IAI Kfir C.1 at the entrance to Ovda Israeli Air Force Base

• 

  A Colombian Aerospace Force IAI Kfir

• 

  Ecuadorian Air Force IAI Kfir C2

• 

  IAI Kfir C.2 at the entrance to Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters, Colombo

• 

  An F-21A Kfir of VF-43 preparing for takeoff at NAS Fallon, Nevada, United States (1986)

• 

  Map with IAI Kfir users in blue

• 

  An IAI Kfir with its typical weapon loadout as displayed at the Israeli Air Force Museum, Hatzerim Airbase

Bibliography

• Frawley, Gerard, The international directory of military aircraft 2002/2003 . London : Aerospace Publication, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
• Gaillard, Pierre, Avions et hélicoptères militaires d'aujourd'hui Paris, France : Larivière éditions, 1999. ISBN 2-907051-24-5.
• Kaminsky, Tom, The United States Military Aviation Directory, London : Airtime Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-880588-29-3.