IAI Kfir
From Canadian Power Wiki
The Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir (Hebrew: כְּפִיר, "Lion Cub") is an Israeli-built all-weather, multirole combat aircraft based on a modified French Dassault Mirage 5 airframe, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-built version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine.
Variants[edit | edit source]
- Kfir C.1: Basic production variant.
- F-21A Kfir: Twenty-five upgraded Kfir C.1 aircraft were leased to the USN and USMC for an aggressor role and were designated F-21A Lion. These aircraft had been modified and included canards on the air intakes. These canards greatly improved the aircraft maneuverability and slow speed control, and were adopted on later variants.
- Kfir C.2: An improved C.1 that featured many aerodynamic improvements. Changes included "dogtoothed" leading edges on the wings, small strakes under the nose and a larger sweep angle of the canards.
- Kfir TC.2: A two-seat training variant developed from the C.2. It has a longer and lowered nose to improve the pilot's view.
- Kfir C.7: Vastly modified variant. Most if not all C.2 aircraft were modified to this variant. It included an improved J79-GEJ1E engine that offered more 1,000 lbs of thrust at full afterburner (and as a result increasing the Maximum Take-off Weight by 3,395 lbs), 2 more hardpoints under the air intakes, better avionics such as the Elta EL/M-2021B radar, HOTAS configured cockpit and inflight refueling capability.
- Kfir TC.7: A two-seat training variant developed from the C.7.
- Kfir C.9: Proposal for Argentina powered by the SNECMA Atar 9K50 turbojet. Argentina cancelled it and it was later developed as South Africa's Atlas Cheetah.
- Kfir C.10: A variant developed especially for export. The most important change is the adaptation of the Elta EL/M-2032 radar. Other changes include HMD capability and two 127×177mm MFDs. This variant is also known as Kfir CE (Ecuadorean version) and Kfir COA (Colombian version).
- Kfir TC.10: Upgraded version of the TC.7 for the Colombian Air Force.
- Kfir C.12: Upgraded version of the C.7 for the Colombian Air Force, a C.10 without the Elta EL/M-2032 radar.
- Kfir Tzniut: Reconnaissance version of the C.2.
- Kfir Block 60: Upgraded version of the C.10, The main feature of this variant is the use of AESA radar, proposed to the Bulgarian Air Force and Colombian Air Force. As of January 2014 Argentina was reported to be interested in a US$500m deal for eighteen Block 60 Kfir to replace its planned acquisition of second-hand Mirage F1Ms from Spain.
- Kfir NG: Upgraded version, short for Next-Generation. Offered to current and former operators Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka, revealed at the 2019 Paris Air Show.
Users[edit | edit source]
- Argentina
- Argentine Air Force
- Colombia
- Colombian Air Force
- Ecuador
- Ecuadorian Air Force
- Israel
- Israeli Air Force
- Sri Lanka
- Sri Lankan Air Force
- United States
- United States Marine Corps
- United States Navy
