A couple of weeks ago I was corresponding with Aviv, an Israeli military pilot and one of the principles behind IAF, which has recently been named Israeli Air Combat.

I met Aviv at E3 in Atlanta, a friendly and engaging gentleman with a firm handshake and a keen eye. He and Ramy talked with us about the development of IAF and also a bit about the experience they brought to simulation design. Aviv supplied me with some information on the Lavi, and offered to do an interview. Thanks to Aviv, Ramy, Shai, Pixel and Janes.

CS: Aviv, for how many years did you fly in the IAF and what did you fly?

Aviv: I joined the IAF in 1986, On my flight log you can find: Piper Cubs, Tzukit (an IAI-made jet trainer based on the French Fuga Magister), A-4 T, H, N models, F-15 A, B, C, D models. As a guest I have flown in: F-16, F-4 2000, and several helicopters (Apache).

Some more points to my career:

I am a qualified flight instructor with 2 years of experience as an instructor in the IAF's Jets OTU. (As an instructor you still maintain your position in your operational squadrons so you fly several jets at the same time which is a great experience). I have another year of instruction in the IAF flight academy in A-4 and in examining the nominees and cadets in the Piper Cub (where during 5-15 flights you have to determine whether the young Cadet in front of you has what it takes to be an Israeli fighter pilot: coordination, awareness, "will to kill ", character, etc). My last position in the IAF was of a XO in an F15 squadron.

CS: In order to to keep your skills honed how many hours do you continue to fly per month?

Aviv: Flight Hours is a well-kept secret. I can tell you two things: One: We fly a lot (although it's never enough) and we fly in our regular squadrons so we are in good shape. (Unlike other air forces in which the reserves fly in reserve squadrons, in the IAF the reserves fly in the regular squadrons and they are measured with the same criteria as the "regulars").

Two: Flights are short over here. Israel is small and in 5-10 minutes you are in your designated training area. Our training profiles are as realistic as training can get.

CS: Have you been in any actual engagements? What was the result?

Aviv: I had the honor to participate in few engagements. I cannot talk about results, sorry. (Still you can have a general direction from the fact that I am alive, happy and still flying…)

CS: What is your favorite aircraft to fly and why?

Aviv: Defiantly the F15 B:

1. Flying an F15 requires all your skills at their best: no Fly by wire controls, high Alpha angles, 9 g envelope and the most advanced Air to Air weapon systems in the world: DASH helmet and Python 4 missiles. All together you drive the most cutting edge Air to Air war machine.

2. I have chosen the B model because I like two-seaters: they are better survivors with another pair of eyes watching your back.

Click to continue . . .

IAC. Click for larger image.

CS: Tell us about the Lavi. Can you compare the feel and maneuverability of the Ravi to the F16?

Aviv: I did not have the chance to fly the plane, only to fly against it I can tell you that this plane accelerates better than an F16, achieves much higher turn rates and has amazing steering capabilities in high alphas and in low speeds. This jet throws an F-16 from firing position to disadvantage position in a matter of 30 seconds.

The cockpit design and ergonomics make it great to fly, and with all the new avionics systems: radar, ECM, Dash helmet etc. - you talk about a "sub-ATF" platform in the early 90's! It is quite understood, I guess, why the budget for the project has bean shut down by the US.

CS: Tell us about the Python 4. How good IS it?

Aviv: Currently as far as I know it's the best operational air to air missile in the world. The main features of the missile are:

• 1.Revolutionary no escape volume
• 2.Unique aerodynamic configuration for superior agility
• 3.State-of-the-art, high performance seeker
• 4.Advanced IRCM & background rejection capabilities
• 5.Highly effective fragmentation warhead
• 6. Full compliance with the DASH helmet

The main concept of the missile is that what ever target you can visually define, it's in a no-escape zone.

CS: Israeli combined tactics are quite different than American tactics. IN what ways and why is this so?

Aviv: I think that the main difference is that here we are truly defending our back yard on a daily basis. The IAF is committed to keep the sky of Israel clean from unfriendly airplanes in the last 50 years. We have a given and well known arena and we can take the "game" to our convenient envelope. I can not say much more about our special tactics only that, in the game we were allowed, for the first time to expose few of them!

CS: Does this flexibility in tactics give Israel a keener edge in air to air combat? Can you give an example?

Aviv: In my opinion it gives us a keener edge in our situation. If we had the logistical capabilities and the number of fighters the USAF or NAVY can put up in the air then most probably pre-determined tactics and no improvisation would have done better. Since we do not have those capabilities the decision every leader in the IAF takes in real time combat make the fight a success or a disaster. Every pilot or WSO in the IAF feels responsible for the life of his colleagues and for the life of the civilians in Israel.

An example would be the Baka valley air to air mass combat from 1982. This battle evolved right after the well-coordinated strike on the Syrian SAM sites in Lebanon. During the strike 14 out of 19 SAM sites had been destroyed, another 3 got hit and 29 enemy airplanes where shot down without a single loss to the IAF.

Several MiGS were shot down by IAF planes straight out of their strike run against the SAMs, the decision to take the MiGS was an on the spot deception made by the wing leaders under their own assessment of the situation.

Go to Part II