Israels The First Jet Squadron took off one last time with its F-16s

In the last week of September 2020, F-16C Baraks of “The First Jet Squadron” of the Heyl Ha'Avir (IAF, Israeli Air Force) took off one last time. Already on 12 May 2020, the Commander of the IAF announced its intention to close the 117th Squadron as part of the IAF's plans to optimize and prepare for future challenges. The 117th was one of the most operationally active squadrons of the IAF and equipped with the F-16C “Barak". 

The 117th was established in 1953 at Ramat David AFB (Israel) and has since participated in all of Israel's wars and took part in countless defense and attack missions, including destroying the Iraqi nuclear plant as well as more recent attacks in Syria.

The squadron has regular and reserve personnel assigned. The latter spend anywhere between 60 to 90 days a year on base. With the closure, fourteen reserve aircrew members of the squadron are retiring while the others (including technicians) will continue to serve with other squadrons, like with the Ramat David based sister squadron 109 “The Valley Squadron that is operating the F-16C/D. That squadron will also adopt most of the retiring Baraks from the 117th.

The First Jet Squadron operated various aircraft, at the time of its establishment, the squadron integrated the Gloster Meteor planes from Britain and was the first to write the literature of jet aircraft in the IAF. In 1962, the squadron received the Mirage III. During the 1967 Six-Day War, the squadron logged an air-to-air kill over a Lebanese Hawker Hunter. In 1980, the 117th squadron and the 110th squadron became the first IAF squadron to integrate the F-16A/B "Netz".

Photo credit: IAF and Stephan de Bruijn