IAI Nesher

IAI Nesher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Nesher

The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher (Hebrew: ???, "griffon vulture" – often
mistranslated as "eagle") was the Israeli version of the French Dassault Mirage
5 multirole fighter.

Having sustained aircraft losses during the Six-Day War of 1967 and the War of
Attrition fought during the late 1960s, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) sought to
procure an improved variant of the highly successful Dassault Mirage III fighter
aircraft. While a partnership to produce such an aircraft, the Mirage 5, was
formed between French manufacturer Dassault Aviation and Israeli aerospace
company Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), during January 1969, in response to
the 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon, the French government announced that it would
be imposing an arms embargo on Israel. In response to the embargo, Israel
decided to proceed with the venture, but to domestically manufacture the
airframes instead.

During 1969, IAI commenced manufacturing work on the type. According to official
accounts, Israel had already obtained a complete set of drawings and detailed
information prior to the embargoes enactment. The Neshers' airframe was
identical to the Mirage 5, but was refitted with Israeli-built avionics, a
Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, and provisions for a wider range of AAMs
(Air-to-Air Missiles), including the Israeli Shafrir heat-seeking missile.
During September 1969, the first Nesher prototype performed its maiden flight.
During May 1971, the first Raam A was delivered to the IAF. During November
1971, the aircraft was officially renamed as the Nesher. The high point of the
Nesher's career with the IAF was during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The type
reportedly performed well during the conflict, IAF pilots flying the type
cumulatively claimed over a hundred kills.

During 1974, production of the Nesher was phased out in favour of a more
advanced Mirage derivative which had been planned in parallel to the Nesher,
known as the IAI Kfir. The IAF retired the type during the 1970s. The aircraft
were later sold to the Argentine Air Force, where they were operated under the
name Dagger. During 1978, Argentina urgently deployed their first Daggers due to
the Beagle conflict, a territorial dispute and war scare between Argentina and
neighbouring Chile. Daggers were also used during the 1982 Falklands War between
Argentina and the United Kingdom, conducting a total of 153 sorties against both
ground and naval targets across the 45 days of combat operations. During their
anti-ship attacks, they were reportedly responsible for damaging several
vessels, including HMS Antrim, Brilliant, Broadsword, Ardent, Arrow and
Plymouth. In total, 11 Daggers were lost in combat with the British. The
remaining aircraft were later upgraded into the Finger standard.


Role
Multirole fighter

Manufacturer
IAI

First flight
1971

Introduction
1972

Retired
1977 (Israel)
2015 (Argentina)

Status
Retired

Primary users
Israeli Air Force
Argentine Air Force

Number built
61 (51+10)

Developed from
Dassault Mirage 5

Developed into
IAI Kfir

Israel

During May 1971, the first Raam A was delivered to the IAF. Production
deliveries continued until February 1974, by which point a total of 51 Nesher
fighters and 10 Nesher two-seat trainers has been delivered to the IAF.

The high point of the Nesher's career with the IAF occurred during the Yom
Kippur War of 1973. The type reportedly performed well during the conflict, IAF
pilots flying the type cumulatively claimed over a hundred kills. Shortly
following the conflict, the decision was made to retire the Nesher. The
introduction of the more capable Kfir derivative had diminished the importance
of the Nesher, and their involvement in offensive operations had resulted in the
airframes having rapidly aged as well. Following their withdrawal from service
with the IAF, the majority of the remaining Neshers were refurbished and sold to
Argentina, where the type was known as the Dagger.

Argentina

Following their retirement from IAF service, the remaining Israeli aircraft were
refurbished and exported to the Argentine Air Force in two batches, 26 fighters
were delivered in 1978 and 13 more in 1980. In Argentine service, the type was
operated under the name Dagger; at its height, Argentina operated a total of 35
Dagger A single-seat fighters and four Dagger B two-seat trainers. During 1978,
the Dagger was used to form a new unit, 6th Air Group; this unit was immediately
enlisted with the support of the 8th Air Group (which operated the Mirage IIIEA)
and the Peruvian Air Force, who was already an established user of the Mirage 5.
The urgency of their initial deployment was a product of the Beagle conflict, a
territorial dispute and diplomatic crisis between Argentina and neighbouring
Chile during that year.

During the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, Daggers
were deployed to the southern naval airbase of Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, and
an airfield in Puerto San Julián. Despite the lack of an aerial refueling
capability and the considerable distance to their targets, these being the
British forces on the Falklands and the offshore vessels of the Royal Navy, the
type managed to conduct a total of 153 sorties against both ground and naval
targets across the 45 days of combat operations. During their anti-ship attacks,
they were reportedly responsible for damaging several vessels, including HMS
Antrim, Brilliant, Broadsword, Ardent, Arrow and Plymouth. In total, 11 Daggers
were lost in combat (nine of them have been attributed to kills achieved via
AIM-9L Sidewinders fired from Sea Harriers and two by surface-to-air (SAM)
missiles).

Specifications

General characteristics
Crew: one
Capacity: 9259 lb
Length: 51.35ft (15.65m)
Wingspan: 8.22 ()
Height: 13.94ft (4.25m)
Wing area: 374.6 ft² (34.8m²)
Empty weight: 14551lbs (6,600kg)
Loaded weight: 29762 lb (13,500kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 13,500kg ()

Performance
Maximum speed: mach 2.1 (39,370ft)
Range: 1,300km () 1186 with 4700 litres of auxiliary fuel in drop tanks plus 2
Air to Air missiles and 2600 lb of bombs
Service ceiling: 55,775ft (17,680m)
Rate of climb: 16,400ft/min (83m/s)

Armament
up to 4200kg of disposable stores



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