One of the sidelights to fighter operations in the Middle East during the 1970s and 80s centered around the repeated Israeli attempts to counter MiG-25 'Foxbat' operations - both the fighter and reconnaissance versions of this high-flying aircraft were operated within this time frame by the IDFAF's Arab opponents.
The first MiG-25 operations in the region were undertaken by a detachment of Soviet Air Force recce MiG-25R 'Foxbat-Bs', deployed to Egypt in October 1971 - their objective was to reconnoitre Israeli positions in the wake of the War of Attrition. Following a number of sorties along the Suez Canal, a MiG-25R made a provocative long-range overflight of Israel on 10 October which the IDFAF were unable to counter. However, when a Soviet 'Foxbat' attempted a repeat overflight on 6 November the Israelis were ready with a flight of stripped-down F-4Es, armed with Sparrows.
The MiG was attacked in a high-altitude snap attack - reportedly the F-4Es fired Sparrow missiles in a high-angle climb from 44,000 ft - head-on at the 'Foxbat', which was cruising at 76,000. What apparently let the attack down was that the proximity fuzz delay on the Sparrows (probably late AIM-7E models) could not cope with the Mach 3 speed of the 'Foxbat', and by the time they detonated, the MiG was out of their lethal radius.
Nevertheless, it was undoubtedly a sobering experience for the Soviet MiG-25 crews to see missiles tracking them at that height for the very first time.
Only two subsequent missions were flown (in March and May 1972), and these overflew the Sinai rather than Israel itself. It is believed that the photographs taken in these missions were later provided to the Egyptians, who found them invaluable in their planning for the 1973 War.
The Soviet 'Foxbats' were withdrawn in July 1972, only to return in the autumn of the following year after the cessation of the 1973 war. These aircraft would not penetrate Israeli airspace again, however, an as Egyptian relations with Moscow deteriorated, the detachment moved to Syria. There, both fighter and recce 'Foxbats' continued to fly regularly, and whilst originally a purely Soviet deployment, it eventually took on a Syrian component - the aircraft carried Syrian markings. Despite their 'arabification', the MiG-25s remained dependent on Soviet advisors and logistics support throughout - indeed, Syria's remaining ' Foxbat' are still reportedly maintained by Russian engineers today.
The Israelis were unable to counter the Syrian MiG-25 'Foxbat-A' fighters until the introduction of the F-15A into service. They then decided to 'defang' the Syrian 'Foxbat' threat once and for all by drawing them into a peacetime battle with F-15s. On 13 February 1981, two Israeli RF-4Es flew a high-altitude reconnaissance mission over the Lebanon to report on renewed Syrian offensive action. The Israelis though that this mission was likely to evoke a Syrian response, and sure enough two MiG-25s were scrambled and climbed after the RF-4s.
However, as they entered firing range on the rapidly fleeing Phantom IIs, they found that their targets had started to both dispense chaff and send out jamming signals from their ECM pods - a combination of the two had effectively obliterated the MiG-25s' radar picture.
Meanwhile, a pair of patrolling F-15As that had been vectored onto the Syrian fighters by either an E-2C or ground-based radar, popped out of the clouds undetected and fired AIM-7F Sparrow AAMs at the 'blind' 'Foxbats'.
One of the MiG-25s was destroyed, but the other escaped to retell the tale. Despite this loss, another MiG-25 attack was staged against RF-4Es over the Bekkaa Valley on 29 July 1981, and this again resulted in another 'Foxbat' falling victim to escorting F-15As.
Meanwhile, Syrian recce MiG-25s, which were capable of achieving faster speed and flying at higher altitudes than the fighter version, continued to overfly the Lebanon until 31 August 1983 when one was damaged by a modified Israeli HAWK SAM and forced down into the clutches of a waiting F-15A.
IAF Lockheed Martin F-16i with conformal fuel cells
From Photonics.com
Elbit to Supply F-16I Head-Up Displays El-Op Electro-optics Industries, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., will supply Lockheed Martin with head-up displays for the Israeli air force's F-16I aircraft. The wide-field-of-view systems will employ advanced technologies based on the company's experience in the design and construction of more than 2000 displays for a variety of aircraft. Lockheed Martin's order is expected to exceed $7 million over four years.
Delivery of F-16I -July 2003