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Ramat David Airbase

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Ramat David Airbase (ICAO: LLRD, Hebrew: בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִיר רָמַת דָּוִד Basis Kheil HaAvir Ramat David, English: David Heights) is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base located 20 km southeast of Haifa in the Northern District of Israel, close to kibbutz Ramat David in the Jezreel Valley. It is the northernmost IAF base in Israel with fighter jets, UAVs and helicopters based on it (see Units). There is an ongoing debate about whether Ramat David should be converted into an international airport.[1]

Ramat David Israeli Air Force Base
Air Wing 1
בָּסִיס חֵיל-הַאֲוִויר רָמַת דָּוִד
Ramat David, Northern District in Israel
Ramat David Airbase is located in Northern Haifa region of Israel
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Airbase
Shown within Israel
Ramat David Airbase is located in Israel
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Airbase (Israel)
Coordinates32°40′00″N 035°11′00″E / 32.66667°N 35.18333°E / 32.66667; 35.18333
TypeAirbase
Site information
OwnerIsrael Defense Forces
OperatorIsraeli Air Force
Site history
Built1942 RAF / 1948 IAF
In use1942 - present
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: LLRD
Elevation56 metres (184 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
09/27 2,606 metres (8,550 ft) Asphalt
11/29 2,431 metres (7,976 ft) Asphalt
15/33 2,406 metres (7,894 ft) Asphalt
Four Israeli fighter pilots walking in front of their Gloster Meteor F.8 jets of 117 Squadron "First Jet" in 1953 or somewhat later at Ramat David Airbase

History

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RAF Ramat David

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Roald Dahl, in his World War II autobiography 'Going Solo', mentions landing his RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk.I at Ramat David in June 1941.[2] At that time it was a ribbon of dry earth that had been rolled out in the middle of a large field of sweet-corn built by the Brits and residents of the nearby kibbutz, as Roald Dahl also reports near the end of his book.[3] This secret airstrip behind Mount Carmel was installed as an alternative runway in case the Haifa Aerodrome (RAF Haifa) 20 km northwest of it was attacked and damaged by the Germans or Italians.

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    The British pilot and writer Roald Dahl in 1956
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    The temporary airstrip near kibbutz Ramat David around 1941

In 1942, the RAF Ramat David military airfield was finally established by the Royal Air Force (RAF) under the British Mandate for Palestine. From this point on, several British aircraft squadrons with fighter aircraft, bombers and transport aircraft were stationed there in turn (see list of former RAF units below).

During the Second World War Jewish paratroopers trained at Ramat David to serve in RAF special operation commandos and to drop behind enemy lines in German or German-occupied territory. They were supposed to help bring downed Allied airmen safely back and help Jews hide from the Nazis. Several of them died (see memorial stone below).

Former RAF units

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Former Royal Air Force operational units at RAF Ramat David:

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    A B-24 Liberator aircrew from the US 98th Bombardment Group at RAF Ramat David in the summer of 1942
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    Memorial stone of the WWII para­trooper school for the training of Jewish special forces in the RAF
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    Plaque in front of the former British head­quar­ters, which was then also used by the IAF
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    Aerial photo of the already Israeli airbase in 1949, taken from a B-17 Flying Fortress of the IAF

After the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948 and the start of the First Arab–Israeli War the next day, the base was temporarily maintained by the RAF to cover the withdrawal of British forces from Palestine. On 22 May 1948, the Royal Egyptian Air Force attacked the base, mistakenly believing it was now an Israeli controlled airbase. In a series of three attacks, several aircraft were destroyed or damaged, a hangar was destroyed, and four British airmen were killed. In the further course of the fighting, five Egyptian fighter planes (all British made) were shot down. The British were furious with their allies.[21] A short time later the base was taken over by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Ramat David IAF Base

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Over time, the Airbase was expanded to the main base of IAF operations north of Israel in Syria and Lebanon.

The 69 Squadron "Hammers" with three decommissioned B-17 Flying Fortress bombers smuggled from the US to Israel in 1948 was initially stationed here. This was done by the help of Charles Winters, a Miami businessman who was imprisoned for this and was posthumously pardoned by President George W. Bush in 2008.[22]

The 103 Squadron "Elephants" with three DC-3 Dakota and one Douglas DC-5 transport aircraft was initially stationed here also, but both squadrons were relocated to other Israeli bases in the following years.

The future Israeli president Ezer Weizman (1924–2005) was base commander at Ramat David in the 1950s before he finally took over command of the IAF. In 2011 the base' Wing 1 there was named after him.

Squadrons and their aircraft

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The 117 Squadron "First Jet" was inaugurated on 17 June 1953 as the IAF's first fighter jet squadron with British Gloster Meteor at Ramat David. In 1962 these were replaced by French Dassault Mirage IIICJ Shahak, which then took part in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. In 1980, together with the 110 Squadron, they received the first F-16A/B Netz fighter jets from the USA. In June 1981, four jets from 117 Squadron took part in Operation Opera, the destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak near Baghdad. From 1986/87 these were then replaced by the IAF's first F-16C/D Barak, which remained until the squadron was closed in 2020 .[23]

The 109 Squadron "The Valley" was founded in 1951 under a different name at Tel Nof Airbase and moved to Ramat David in 1956, where it still exists today. It got its name “The Valley” after the Jezreel Valley where the base is located. At Ramat David it flew the Dassault Mystère IV, A-4 Skyhawk Ayit, IAI Kfir (Young Lion) and finally from 1991 to the present day the two-seat F-16D Barak.[24]

The 110 Squadron "Knights Of The North" existed from 1953 to 2017 (from 1957 at Ramat David) and flew the De Havilland Mosquito, S.O. 4050 Vautour II, Gloster Meteor, A-4 Skyhawk Ayit, F-16A/B Netz, F-16C/D Barak and also took part in the destruction of the Iraqi reactor in 1981.[25]

Three squadrons flew the De Havilland Mosquito in the 1950s: 109 Squadron "The Valley", 110 Squadron "Knights Of The North" and 115 Squadron "Flying Dragon" for aerial photography and as a bomber.[24][25][26] The two-seat T.7 jet trainer version of the Gloster Meteor was probably based on Sirkin or Tel Nof Airbase since the IAF Flight Academy was there in the 1950s, but the T.8 fighter version was stationed at Ramat David.

Formerly stationed aircraft

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Most of them now at the IAF Museum near Hatzerim Airbase:

Underground hangars

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The fighter jets are housed in large underground hangar systems and shelters into which they disappear after each landing and which have several entrances and exits. This protects them from missiles and at the same time hides them from view and precise localization. Syria and Lebanon are only 50 to 60 km away, from where rockets are repeatedly fired at northern Israel. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, this airbase was the only one where rockets hit and not only destroyed facilities but also caused casualties.[27]

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    Ramat David Airbase seen from Mount Carmel, looking east-southeast, June 2019
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    Change of command ceremony at Ramat David Airbase in July 2022
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    ATC Tower at Ramat David Airbase in August 2023 with an AS565 Panther Atalef flying by
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    The Iron Dome defense system, also stationed on Ramat David, is intended to protect against rockets

Hezbollah attacks

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On 22 August and 22 September 2024, the terrorist group Hezbollah launched many rockets from Lebanon in an attempt to hit the base, but no serious hit has been reported. An Iron Dome defense system (see photo above) stationed there had probably intercepted most of the incoming missiles. Hezbollah had previously published a video showing the base from above by a UAV flying over for several minutes and named various buildings and installations on it. The video also showed that some Apache attack helicopters from the Ramon Airbase are temporarily stationed there to take part in military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah.[28]

Today

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F-16 fighter jets

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At the beginning of October 2020, as part of an IAF efficiency program, the 117 Squadron "First Jet" with F-16 fighter jets on Ramat David was disbanded and most of the jets and pilots were assigned to other units. It was involved in all of the country's wars since 1953 and, among other things, also involved in Operation Opera, the destruction of an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.[29] In July 2021, the squadron reopened at Nevatim Airbase with new F-35I Adir jets.[30]

From March 2021, the two F-16 Squadrons 101 "First Fighter" and 105 "Scorpion" were gradually relocated here from Hatzor Airbase to bring all remaining F-16C/D Barak jets under one roof.[31] They were united with 109 Squadron "The Valley" of F-16D machines. A few other F-16C/D jets are based at Ovda in the Aggressor Training Squadron "Flying Dragon". Three squadrons with the newer F-16I Sufa, adapted to Israeli needs, are based at Ramon Airbase, as well as a fourth squadron of them at Hatzerim Airbase.

In December 2024, the first ultra-Orthodox technician unit of the IAF was established on Ramat David, after 26 so-called Haredim had completed their training. They will be responsible for the 105 Squadron "Scorpion" with F-16D fighter jets and maintain their weapons systems. The aim of this training is to better integrate ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army. The challenge is to enable soldiers to live a religious lifestyle within the army. This includes separate accommodation, strict kosher cuisine and the construction of a synagogue on the base. The IAF called the now completed training a "groundbreaking pilot project".[32]

Helicopters

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The Eurocopter AS565 Panther Atalef of 193 Squadron "Defenders Of The West" at Ramat David serve as maritime reconnaissance, surveillance and SAR helicopters and are used in close cooperation with the Israeli Navy as on-board helicopters on ships of the Sa'ar 5-class corvette and Sa'ar 6-class corvette.[33] These have their home port at the Haifa naval base, 25 km away.

In the future, the Panthers will be replaced by eight SH-60 Seahawk, which were already purchased by the IAF and Navy in 2015 from stocks of the US Navy. They will be extensively converted and equipped with Israeli systems and should be ready for use from 2024.[34]

Secret UAVs

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There are two squadrons of still-secret UAVs at Ramat David: the 157 Squadron "In The Valley" and the 160 Squadron "Shadow Hunter" (see gallery below). It is assumed that the reason for the secrecy is their stealthiness. Since other countries have such stealth UAVs for a long time, it can also be assumed that Israel – a leading manufacturer of drones – also has such aircraft, but wants to keep their appearance secret for as long as possible. Large UAVs are also designed to fly for at least 24 hours at a time, which would make the whole of Iran accessible, for example.[35]

International airport

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Since 2014, there have been considerations to convert Ramat David into a third major international airport alongside Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv and Ramon Airport near Eilat.[36] The Nevatim Airbase in the south of Israel is now also being discussed, which could be used for both military and civilian purposes, as was previously the case with the Ovda Airbase for over 30 years. The IAF is strongly opposed to this latter proposal.[37]

In the meantime, the civilian conversion of Ramat David seemed to be off the table, because the local resistance to it is too strong.[38][circular reference] In 2021, the government's policy was to build two medium-sized international airports at both Haifa in the north and Beersheba in the south.[39] However, after the presentation of an extensive study and audit in 2023, Ramat David is again the top priority for a major airport.[40][41]

Units

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

Accidents

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A Sa'ar 5-class corvette with AS 565 Panther Atalef looking for the crashed F-16D Barak in March 2000
  • On 16 September 1996, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the 193 Squadron "Defenders of the West" from Ramat David crashed about 12 miles off the coast of Nahariya, killing all three crew members.[34]
  • At the end of March 2000, an F-16D Barak of 109 Squadron "The Valley" from Ramat David crashed into the sea 20 kilometers off the coast of Atlit during a night exercise. The pilot – a grandson of former Prime Minister Menachem Begin – and his navigator were killed in the crash.[51][52]
  • In early January 2022, an AS 565 Panther Atalef of 193 Squadron "Defenders of the West" from Ramat David crashed off the coast of Haifa, killing two crew members and seriously injuring another.[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Transport Ministry examining possibility of turning Ramat David airbase into international airport". Jerusalem Post. 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  2. ^ "Roald Dahl, the British pilot and author, landed here in the Jezreel Valley". IAF website (in Hebrew). 2011-06-27. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  3. ^ Dahl, Roald (2024). Going Solo. London SW11 7BW: Penguin Random House UK. p. 205–113. ISBN 978-0-241-67739-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 26.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 36.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 37.
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 40.
  8. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 47.
  9. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  10. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  11. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 69.
  12. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 71.
  13. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  14. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 76.
  15. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  16. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 78.
  17. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
  18. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
  19. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 102.
  20. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 191.
  21. ^ "Israel v the RAF". spyflight.co.uk. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  22. ^ "Bush pardons man who helped Israel during wartime". Associated Press. 2008-12-23. Archived from the original on 2008-12-25. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  23. ^ "The First Jet Squadron". WayBack-Machine: IAF Website. 2019-03-14. Archived from the original on 2019-03-14. Retrieved 2024-02-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. ^ a b "The Valley Squadron". WayBack-Machine: IAF Website. 2019-03-14. Archived from the original on 2019-03-14. Retrieved 2024-02-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  25. ^ a b "The Knights of the North". WayBack-Machine: IAF Website. 2019-04-26. Archived from the original on 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2024-02-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  26. ^ "The "Flying Dragon" Squadron". WayBack-Machine: IAF Website. 2019-03-14. Archived from the original on 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2024-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ^ "1st Wing Under Attack". IAF Website (in Hebrew). 2023-09-24. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  28. ^ "The base from which Gallant announced a "new phase" in the war - The target chosen by Hezbollah". ynet.co.il (in Hebrew). 2024-09-22. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  29. ^ "Israel löst die First-Jet-Staffel auf". Flugrevue (in German). 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  30. ^ "The 117th Squadron has Reopened". IAF Website. 2021-07-04. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  31. ^ "Israel Set To Move Two F-16 Units To Ramat David". key.aero. 2021-03-19. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  32. ^ "Historisch: Luftwaffe hat erste ultra-orthodoxe Technikereinheit". Israelnetz (in German). 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  33. ^ a b "Between Sea and Sky". WayBack-Machine: IAF Website. 2018-09-20. Archived from the original on 2019-06-13. Retrieved 2024-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  34. ^ a b c "The helicopter that crashed off Haifa". mako.co.il (in Hebrew). 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  35. ^ "The Existence Of Israel's Secret Stealth Drone Should Come As No Surprise". The War Zone. 2024-10-22. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
  36. ^ "Air force base slated to become second major airport". The Times Of Israel. 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  37. ^ "Two air force bases under consideration as Israel's third international airport". The Times Of Israel. 2018-05-02. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  38. ^ "The fight against the establishment of an international airport in the Jezreel Valley". he-Wikipedia (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  39. ^ "Transport Minister cancels Ramat David airport". calcalist.co.il (in Hebrew). 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  40. ^ "The professional committee recommends the establishment of an airport in Ramat David". calcalist.co.il (in Hebrew). 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  41. ^ "Netanyahu instructed Simhon to examine the establishment of a new international airport in Ramat David". globes.co.il (in Hebrew). 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  42. ^ "The First Fighter Squadron". IAF Website. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  43. ^ "Flying with JDAMs". IAF Website. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  44. ^ "From Gesher to Halom to Today: 101st Squadron celebrates 75 years". IAF Website (in Hebrew). 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  45. ^ "The Scorpion Squadron". IAF Website. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  46. ^ "The Valley Squadron Celebrates 65". IAF Website. 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  47. ^ "פינת הנצחה לחללי שייטת 157, בסיס רמת דוד". Yazkor (in Hebrew). Ministry of Defense (Israel). Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  48. ^ "עמק יזרעאל: טייסת 157 מאמצת את ניצולי השואה". Ycom (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2021-05-28. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  49. ^ "Old jet with new logo of 160 Squadron on Ramat David". John Malony on flickr. 2019-09-29. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  50. ^ "Medal and information about 160 Squadron". israel-insignia.com (in Hebrew). 2022-01-01. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  51. ^ "Late Israeli PM's grandson confirmed dead in F-16 Crash". F-16.net. 2000-03-28. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  52. ^ "Accident Lockheed F-16D 077, Monday 27 March 2000". Aviation Safety Network. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2024-10-25.

Bibliography

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  • 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.
  • 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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