Tel Nof Airbase

Tel Nof Israeli Air Force Base (Hebrew: בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר תֵּל נוֹף) (ICAO: LLEK), also known as Air Force Base 8, is the main airbase of the Israeli Air Force and houses its headquarter. It is located 5 km south of Rehovot, Israel.

Tel Nof Israeli Air Force Base
Air Force Base 8
בסיס חיל-האוויר תל נוף
Rehovot, Central District in Israel
Shoulder tag of Tel Nof Airbase
Tel Nof is located in Israel
Tel Nof
Tel Nof
Shown within Israel
Coordinates31°50′22.10″N 34°49′18.64″E
TypeAirbase
Site information
OwnerIsrael Defense Forces
OperatorIsraeli Air Force
Site history
Built1939 (1939)
In use1939 - present
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: LLEK
Elevation59 metres (194 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15R/33L 2,388 metres (7,835 ft) Asphalt
15L/33R 2,387 metres (7,831 ft) Asphalt
18/36 2,750 metres (9,022 ft) Asphalt
09/27 1,830 metres (6,004 ft) Asphalt

Tel Nof houses two fighter, two helicopter and a UAV squadron. Also located at the base is the Flight Test Center and several special units of the Israel Defense Forces, Unit 669 (heliborne Combat Search and Rescue) and the Paratroopers Brigade training center.

History

Tel Nof was founded in July 1939[1] during the British Mandate as RAF Aqir and served as the main Royal Air Force station in Palestine. After the British withdrew in 1948, the base was initially called Ekron Airfield and, from 1950, Tel Nof Airbase.

The base housed the IAF Flight Academy until April 1966 when the Flight Academy was moved to Hatzerim Airbase.[2]

Nuclear weapons

Tel Nof Airbase is located 3 km northwest of the Sdot Micha Airbase complex, where nuclear weapons for its missions are reportedly stored.[3] Fighter aircraft capable of carrying these weapons, such as today's F-15C/D Eagle Baz and once the F-4 Phantom II Kurnass, have been on alert around the clock at the base since the 1970s.

Current

Since January 2019, the so-called "Red Baron" Squadron has been operating on Tel Nof to train German soldiers on the 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.[4]

In November 2020, a brand-new F-35I Adir from the USA landed directly on Tel Nov. This specially equipped machine will serve as a test platform at the local Flight Test Center for further improvement of this stealth jet.[5]

At the end of 2021, Israel ordered twelve new CH-53K King Stallion Wild transport helicopters from the US for two billion dollars, which will complement the CH-53D Sea Stallion Yas'ur on 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.[6][7][8][9]

The aging F-15C/D Eagle Baz fighter jets on 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 a complete squadron have already been ordered, which will not be delivered until 2028 at the earliest, and 25 more aircraft are to be added at some point. These new, powerful fighter bombers would be needed to carry heavy bunker-busting bombs that could then be used against Iran's underground nuclear facilities.[10]

  • The badge of the Israeli-German "Red Baron" Squadron on Tel Nof
    The badge of the Israeli-German "Red Baron" Squadron on Tel Nof
  • Map of Tel Nof Airbase with further details, the Paratroops Memorial and villages around
    Map of Tel Nof Airbase with further details, the Paratroops Memorial and villages around
  • ATC Tower at Tel Nof Airbase with a CH-53D Sea Stallion Yas'ur helicopter flying by
    ATC Tower at Tel Nof Airbase with a CH-53D Sea Stallion Yas'ur helicopter flying by
  • Aluf Tomer Bar (right) takes command of the IAF at its headquarter at Tel Nof Airbase in 2022
    Aluf Tomer Bar (right) takes command of the IAF at its headquarter at Tel Nof Airbase in 2022

Units

Note: IAF aircraft can usually be assigned to their squadron by the symbols on the tail

Former RAF Aqir units

Operational units of the Royal Air Force stationed at RAF Aqir from 1941 to 1948.

See also

References
  1. Playfair, Vol. I, page 69.
  2. "Tel Nof". Global Security. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  3. "Tel Nof Airbase | Facilities | NTI".
  4. "The IAF Squadron that trains German Crews". IAF-Website. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  5. "Flight Testing Center Receives First Experimental "Adir"". IAF-Website. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. "The IAF's Future Helicopter". IAF-Website. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  7. "Israel wählt CH-53K". Flugrevue (in German). 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  8. "Israel unterschreibt für CH-53K und KC-46A". Flugrevue (in German). 1 January 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  9. "End of period - 114th Squadron merged with 118th Squadron". IAF-Website. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  10. "Senior Boeing official in Israel to push sale of advanced F-15 jets for Iran strike". The Times Of Israel. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  11. "The Edge Of The Spear Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  12. "Knights Of The Twin Tail Squadron". IAF-Website. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  13. ""White Eagle" Squadron Looking Ahead". IAF-Website. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  14. "The 210th Squadron Turns 10". IAF-Website. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  15. "And they struck them with blindness". The Jerusalem Post. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  16. "Unit 669". IDF-Website. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  17. "A Rare Peek into SAR Unit 669". IAF-Website. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  18. "Officially Cats: End of 669 Course". IAF-Website. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  19. Jefford 1988, p. 25.
  20. IWM CM 5756
  21. "76 Otu - 21-9-1944".
  22. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 205.

Bibliography
  • 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. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • 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. ISBN 978-1-84574-065-8.
  • Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
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