World’s militaries stunned by the power of the Israel Air Force

Iranians are not fools. We’re not the only ones preparing for this event. So do they. The previous surgery taught them a few things.

Three attacks a day and an astounding rate of ammunition shattered global standards. When pilots doped up and flew toward Iran, collaboration with the United States and the ingenuity of women in the force created an arm that blocked Tehran’s ability to launch.

It’s shocking to recall what the IDF had to deal with before this operation. There have been numerous attacks on Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who was appointed by this administration and then fell into the clutches of propagandists who called him a “Kaplanist” and smeared him from morning to night. A chief of staff who became a regional commander and not only led the IDF to extraordinary operational achievements but also coordinated operations with many of his counterparts in the region and worked closely with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Commander of U.S. Central Command was a masterpiece.

Think of what they did to the Air Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Tomer Barr during the justice reform when he had to deal with rising sentiment from hundreds of airmen, some of them elderly reservists, who threatened to stop volunteering if the legislation progressed. Barr knew he did not have the ability to fire so many IDF pilots, especially since they were not refusing orders but exercising their democratic freedom to protest and suspend de facto voluntary reserve service. He is torn between two worlds but somehow manages to hold on to both ends of the stick.

He had no doubt, nor anyone else’s, that when the moment came, all of them would show up, far exceeding the expected mobilization numbers, and that’s exactly what happened. But they demanded his removal and then became outraged at the splendid appointment of a major general. Shlomi Binder takes over as Director of Military Intelligence, replacing Aharon Haliva who resigned. It is true that Binder bears some responsibility for October 7. Although he is not dominant, according to the situation and reality at the time, he is the most necessary and appropriate appointment.

Herzi Halevi, who appointed him then chief of staff, orchestrated the operation against Iran after the Mossad’s initial plans failed. He knew that Binder was the most suitable person on the General Staff to take over military intelligence, rebuild the organization in action and prepare for the decisive rounds ahead. Today it is increasingly clear how right Halevi was and how smart Binder was. I spoke with several people in the Air Force this week who didn’t know how to express their surprise at the quality of intelligence being provided to them in Tehran, Beirut and elsewhere. “What military intelligence did was crazy, pure magic. It all started from there,” said one person who carried out the operation.

By the time we got into the Air Force, there was already a shortage of top-level talent. There is no choice but to open emergency stocks: it starts with Tomer Barr’s quiet leadership. Unlike his predecessor, Amikam Norkin, who was a brilliant Air Force commander but also very outgoing, Barr was quiet, stayed away from the media storm (although they unfortunately hounded him), and did not participate in the embellishment of his own name, which has been embellished in his absence.

Race between launchers and bombers

The Air Force’s preparations for war are fascinating. Since the number of aircraft and pilots was fixed and known, and it was clear that there would be competition between Iran’s launch capabilities and the Air Force’s ability to destroy launchers and missiles, the Air Force designed the solution to be more waves. how? There are 3 flights to and from Iran every day. Every pilot. How is this done? Use stimulants. This is their plot. It worked.

When each pilot does this three times a day instead of just one or two, the number of strikes skyrockets, both literally and figuratively, and the ability to cripple Iran’s launch capabilities is greatly enhanced. “We know we have to put as many bombs on targets as possible in the shortest possible time to jam, destroy and shoot them down as quickly as possible without giving them time to rear their heads,” an IDF official said this week.

Iranians are not fools. We’re not the only ones preparing for this event. So do they. Having learned something from previous operations, they deployed large numbers of bulldozers and tractors at the launch site so they could quickly reopen the bombed-out tunnels after each wave of attacks. They counted on the frequency of attacks, but the speed was so fast that they had no chance.

We have a learning competition here with the Iranians. A game was decided, but not without effort. We haven’t talked about the joining of American aircraft yet. Bottom line: By Wednesday afternoon, the Air Force had dropped its 5,000th munition on an Iranian target in four days. During the previous 12 days of operations, a total of 3,700 munitions were dropped.

The heart of the game is the first 48 hours of intense competition. Under medical supervision, the Air Force found the most suitable stimulant pills and conducted training to ensure there were no side effects and would not impair the airmen’s acuity or motor skills, while also determining the best nutrition for the condition. They also learned from the experience of Americans, who were used to such long-distance flights. For example, the B-2 bomber can fly continuously for a long time.

What happened was that everything the pilots and ground crew experienced in the first three days exceeded their expectations. The only ones working harder are the Iranians. They’ve been hit across the board, and the sharp drop in launch rates in recent days is a result of that effort. As of Thursday, assessments concluded the Air Force was on the verge of breaching Iran’s launch capabilities. No, not reduce it to zero, but reduce it to a “manageable” size that will give the interception system a reasonable workload.

In wartime, the Air Force’s motto was: “Either you are flying, or you are sleeping, or you are eating.” In the current war, this has been simplified to: “Either you are flying, or you are eating.” They are not sleeping at all. Throughout the entire process, everyone must be tightly controlled to ensure there is no arrogance, no overconfidence, and no creeping contempt. The F-35’s historic downing of an Iranian aircraft boosted morale but did not reduce intensity. Iranian MiGs also took off from time to time to attack our pilots, but contact was soon lost.

Although the results were clear, the Air Force was not confused. This is not to underestimate the Iranians. Some say they fight, they fight, they come to wage war, they study, they prepare, they don’t give up on anything, they still take off everywhere, they continue to launch, even though they know they will be hit after every launch. They are more determined in this round than in the last game.

What keeps pilots and ground crews moving at such a ferocious pace? It’s simple: In addition to the force’s uncompromising professionalism, we also know that every sortie, every takeoff, every return flight is to ensure that the families of that airman, that airwoman, that incredible ground crew have fewer trips to the shelter.

force multiplier

The Air Force is more than just pilots. The ground crew is another unsolved wonder. Every time American or foreign officers visit an air base, visitors try to understand why Israeli fighter jets are repaired, prepared, and armed between attack waves in much shorter time and with less manpower or women than in the United States, the United Kingdom, or anywhere else. Try explaining this to them. They won’t understand.

For women, this is an advantage. Everyone I spoke to about this issue praised the extraordinary creativity and ingenuity of young Israeli women, who raced with boundless energy between fortified bunkers, bombs, and missiles to ensure that the time between one takeoff and the next was as short as possible. Books will still be written about working with American gorillas. This is an unprecedented event where the navies, air forces and intelligence services of the two countries are equally integrated and integrated into one.

Israelis suddenly understood American power. In fact, more than 100 modern tanker aircraft fill the skies of the Middle East, which means that every Israeli pilot can change course or stop to refuel almost anywhere. A conversation between a refueling pilot and a refueling pilot will one day be published and warm the hearts of many. The second is the intensity with which the United States can strike anywhere, at any time, with any munitions, and from any possible bomber. The undisputed air superiority of the F-22 and of course the strategic game changer B-2 bomber.

But Americans also had the opportunity to witness something extraordinary: the professionalism, precision, and capability that is unique to the Israeli Air Force; an intellect that is jaw-droppingly accurate to the width of a human hair; and an endless creativity that we will only understand in the distant future. The U.S.-Israeli linkage tool made history this week.