Profile
- Type
- Two-seat multirole fighter aircraft
- Conflict side
- Israel
- Origin
- United States / Israel
- Service note
- Introduced to Israeli service in 2004; active in Israeli Air Force service
Aircraft & UAVs
F-16I Sufa
The F-16I Sufa is Israel's customized two-seat F-16D Block 52+ derivative, built by Lockheed Martin with Israeli mission systems, conformal fuel tanks, a missionized rear cockpit, advanced radar, and compatibility with precision air-to-surface weapons. Its recent documented use centers on Israeli strike operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and the 2025 Israel-Iran air campaign.
- Conflict side
- Israel
- Built in
- United StatesIsrael
Service History
- In service
- First F-16I aircraft delivered to Israel in 2004; 102 aircraft acquired under Peace Marble V
- Used by
- Israeli Air Force
- Wars
- Israel-Hamas War, Israel-Hezbollah Conflict, Israel-Iran Conflict
Production History
- Designer
- Lockheed Martin / Israeli defense industry partners
- Designed
- Late 1990s-early 2000s
- Built in
- United StatesIsrael
- Unit cost
- About $45 million per aircraft under the reported $4.5 billion Israeli F-16I program
- Produced
- 2003-2008 deliveries for Israel
- Number built
- 102 aircraft for Israel
- Variants
- F-16D Block 52+ Israeli variant, Sufa
- Developed from
- F-16D Block 52+ Fighting Falcon
Specifications
- Crew
- Two: pilot and rear-seat weapons systems officer
- Engine
- One Pratt & Whitney F100 Improved Performance Engine
- Maximum takeoff weight
- About 52,000 lb / 23,600 kg
- Radar
- Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)9 multimode radar with synthetic-aperture ground mapping
- Fuel and range features
- Conformal fuel tanks and external tanks for extended mission radius while preserving weapons stations
- Mission systems
- Dorsal equipment compartment, missionized rear cockpit, Israeli electronic warfare equipment, FLIR, and Litening navigation/targeting pod integration
- Armament compatibility
- Advanced air-to-air missiles, navigation and targeting pods, and precision guided air-to-surface weapons including JDAM-class munitions
Conflict Usage
- Israel-Hamas War
- Side: IsraelRole: Air strike and close air support over Gaza
An Israeli F-16I navigator described repeated Gaza missions after October 7, 2023, including coordination with ground forces and precision JDAM employment.
- Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
- Side: IsraelRole: Precision air strikes over Lebanon
The same F-16I navigator described using GBU-38 and GBU-31 JDAMs over Lebanon during Israel's post-October 2023 air campaign.
- Israel-Iran Conflict
- Side: IsraelRole: Long-range precision strike
RUSI and FPRI analysis identified F-16I aircraft among Israeli Air Force platforms documented in Operation Rising Lion, while an F-16I navigator discussed strike missions against Iran.
F-16I Sufa Images
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Related Weapon Systems
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F-16 Fighting FalconMultirole fighter aircraftThe F-16 Fighting Falcon is a U.S.-designed single-engine multirole fighter used for air defense, air-to-air combat, suppression support, and precision strike missions. Its recent conflict record includes Ukrainian operation of Western-supplied aircraft in the Russia-Ukraine War, Israeli F-16I strike sorties during Operation Rising Lion, and U.S. F-16 employment in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
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F-15I Ra'amTwo-seat long-range strike fighterThe F-15I Ra'am is Israel's customized two-seat Strike Eagle variant, combining Boeing/McDonnell Douglas airframe performance with Israeli avionics, electronic-warfare systems, and precision-strike integration. Its range, payload, and all-weather attack capability make it a central Israeli deep-strike aircraft, with directly documented use in recent operations against Iran, Hezbollah, and Houthi targets..jpg?width=480)
Arash-2Long-range one-way attack UAV / loitering munitionThe Arash-2 is an Iranian long-range one-way attack UAV, also described as a loitering munition or suicide drone, associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces. Open sources describe it as a larger Arash/Kian-family strike system with rocket-assisted launch, reported passive-radar or seeker options, and claimed ranges up to about 2,000 km for attacks on fixed or emitting targets.
F-15 BazAir superiority and multirole fighterThe F-15 Baz is Israel's name for its McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B/C/D Eagle fleet, originally acquired as an air-superiority fighter and later upgraded for multirole air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Israeli Baz aircraft are distinct from the F-15I Ra'am strike variant, but retained long-range fighter value in modern Israeli operations, including documented use over Iran during Operation Rising Lion.Sources
Lockheed Martin, Israel Air Force Celebrate Inauguration of Newest F-16 Jet FighterPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports manufacturer background, Israeli customization, radar, conformal fuel tanks, cockpit, engine, takeoff weight, and precision-weapons compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-06-20IAF Aircraft Inventory: General Dynamics F-16I Fighting Falcon (Sufa)Publisher: Jewish Virtual Library | Note: Supports variant identity, Israeli Air Force acquisition context, quantity, two-seat configuration, mission systems, and extended-range background. | Accessed: 2026-06-20F-16I Sufa (Storm)Publisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports Block 52 basis, Peace Marble V acquisition, conformal fuel tank context, delivery period, mission systems, and program cost background. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Israeli F-16I Navigator Opens Up About Striking IranPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Directly supports F-16I Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran combat-use context from an interview with an Israeli F-16I navigator. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Operation Rising Lion: The First 72 HoursPublisher: Royal United Services Institute | Note: Directly supports Israel-Iran Conflict use by identifying F-16I aircraft in IDF-released Operation Rising Lion material. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Rising Lion's Air Offensive: Part IPublisher: Foreign Policy Research Institute | Note: Supports Israel-Iran Conflict operational context for Israeli Air Force strike waves and precision weapons in Operation Rising Lion. | Accessed: 2026-06-20IAF-F-16I-2016-12-13.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary F-16I Sufa image; the file identifies the aircraft and lists CC BY 4.0 licensing with VRT confirmation. | Accessed: 2026-06-20F-16I sufa (cropped).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and visible reuse licensing for an additional F-16I Sufa image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20