Key Points and Summary – The IAI Kfir (“Lion Cub”) was Israel’s homegrown answer to a 1960s French arms embargo.
-Derived from the Mirage 5/Nesher airframe and powered by a U.S.-built J79, the single-seat Kfir entered IAF service in 1975 as a fast, hard-hitting multirole jet.
-It reached nearly Mach 2, carried twin 30mm cannon and over six tons of ordnance, and scored at least one air-to-air kill before shifting primarily to strike roles in Lebanon.
-Israel retired the type in 1996, but upgraded Kfirs still serve abroad—most notably in Colombia and Ecuador—while dozens sit in museums and former U.S. adversary units.
Kfir Was a Powerhouse Fighter for Israel
In Hebrew, the word “kfir” translates into English as “Lion Cub.” Even though Hebrew and Arabic are both Semitic languages and therefore do share some similar-sounding words with the same meaning (e.g., “Shalom/Salaam” as a basic greeting and blessing; “Lo/La” for “No”), “kfir” has a distinctly different meaning from the Arabic word “kafir,” which translates as “infidel.” (And in turn, not to be confused with a highly derogatory Afrikaans word with a similar pronunciation and transliteration.)
In any event, seeing how the lion is a predatory animal—even in its cuddly cub phase of life—it should come as no surprise that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) should bestow the “Kfir” moniker upon one of its war machines. More specifically, it was applied to an Israeli Air Force (IAF; Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal) fighter jet that served faithfully during the Cold War, the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Kfir.
Kfir Initial History
The IAF Kfir made its maiden flight in June 1973 and entered official operational service with the IAF in 1975.
The Kfir was derived from the French-made Dassault Mirage IIIC, which had been supplied to the IAF back during the happier days of Franco-Israeli relations. After those relations went sour—as manifested by an arms embargo imposed by then-French President Charles de Gaulle—the war-weary Jewish state resolved to develop indigenous fighters. IAI first put that resolution into action via its own unlicensed version of the Mirage 5, which it called the Nesher (“Griffon Vulture,” AKA “Eagle”). However, though the Nesher was a good start, it still had the same foibles as the Mirage III; ergo, they would soon follow up by developing the Kfir to optimize ground-attack capabilities.
Approximately 220 Kfir airframes were built. In addition to the IAF, the warbird was also purchased by foreign military sales (FMS) customers such as Colombia, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, and the United States (for use as mock opponents in dissimilar air combat training [DACT]).
Kfir Technical Specifications and Vital Stats
Crew: 1
Fuselage Length: 51 feet 4 inches (15.65 meters)
Wingspan: 27 feet 0 inches (8.22 meters)
Height: 14 feet 11 inches (4.55 meters)
Max Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 36,376 lbs. (16,500 kg)
Powerplant: IAl Bedek-built General Electric J79-J1E turbojet, generating 79.62 kN (17,900 lbf) of thrust in afterburner mode
Max Airspeed: 1,520 mph (Mach 1.98; 2, 446 km/h; 1,320 knots
Combat Range: 477 statute miles (414.5 nautical miles, 767.6 kilometers)
Service Ceiling: 58,010 feet (17,709 meters)
Rate of Climb: Approx. 46,000 feet per minute (233,68 meters per second)
Armament:
2 x Rafael-designed 30mm DEFA 533 cannons, each with 140 rounds of ammo
Payload of over 6 tons of missiles and/or bombs, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile (AAM), Shafrir (“Python”) air-to-air missile (AAM), Shrike anti-radiation missile (ARM), and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
Operational History/Combat Performance in Brief
The Kfir was first “blooded” in combat during an airstrike into Lebanon in 1997, and, according to WarHistory.org, “even got its first kill, a Syrian MiG-21, in 1979 the same day as the F-15 took its first air to air kill.” Maya Carlin, analyst at the Center for Security Policy, adds that “The Jewish state still used the Kfir jets in combat down the line, including in Lebanon later in the decade. When Israel invaded southern Lebanon in 1982 during Operation Peace for Galilee, the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon were already in place as the IAF’s top fighters. The Kfirs were left to carry out unescorted strike missiles during this conflict.”
The IAF officially retired the Kfir in 1996.
Where Are They Now?
Remarkably, the Kfir remains in service with the Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC; Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana), with 19 airframes in the fleet (two of which are used in the trainer role).
Meanwhile, an additional 25 Kfir airframes have been preserved for posterity as static displays in museums and “gate guardians” at military bases. Not surprisingly, the majority of these are at Israeli museums and airbases, such as the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim Airbase.
However, you can also find them at the following locations:
-Colombia: One specimen at the Captain Germán Olano Moreno Air Base (Base Aérea Capitán Germán Olano Moreno)
-Sri Lanka: Two specimens at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum; one at SLAF Colombo airbase
-United States of America: U.S. Navy Bureau Number (BuNo) 999734, at the Intrepid Museum
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
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