Decades After Its Maiden Flight, Upgraded Kfir Jet Flies in Sri Lanka
Excitement at Israel Aerospace Industries: more than 50 years after its first flight, the Kfir jet developed and produced after France imposed an arms embargo on Israel marked another milestone today, in the skies over Sri Lanka. One of the five Israeli fighter jets in service with its air force successfully completed a test flight after an extensive overhaul, which is intended to allow continued operational use of the aircraft for at least the next decade. Sri Lanka bought the Kfir aircraft about 30 years ago, around the time they were being phased out of service by the Israeli Air Force, which had already built most of its systems around fighter jets made in the United States. For Sri Lanka, a country without the economic capacity to equip itself with modern fighter jets, each of which costs close to $100 million, it was a worthwhile deal, as it paid only a few million dollars for each Israeli aircraft. In service with the Sri Lankan Air Force, they were used, among other things, for airstrikes on rebel bases during the long civil war in the Indian Ocean island nation. In recent years, they had already required a comprehensive upgrade as a condition for continued operation, due to the aging of essential systems.
"We strengthened the aircraft's structure and replaced outdated components that are no longer available today, since the plane was developed back in the 1960s," IAI Chairman Boaz Levy told Calcalist after company representatives accompanying the Kfir upgrade process informed him that the flight, in which the upgraded version of the aircraft participated, had ended successfully. "The new aircraft have an advanced computer, autopilot, navigation systems and advanced avionics, and the engine was also overhauled in a way that improves their performance." Following the successful flight, the rest of the Kfir aircraft used by Sri Lanka will undergo a similar upgrade at a total cost of about $50 million.
The decision to upgrade the aircraft was made about five years ago. But in the summer of 2022, Sri Lanka plunged into the worst economic crisis in its history, widespread protests broke out and then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to announce his resignation. Although $50 million is not much in terms of defense deals, for Sri Lanka it was considered a great deal of money, and in the absence of resources, doubts were raised about whether the plan would be carried out. "Sri Lanka really loves this plane and it is very good for them," Levy said in a conversation with Calcalist. "Since the Kfir aircraft were delivered to them, many children born in the country have also been given the name 'Kfir.' Many years after most of these aircraft were withdrawn from service, we preserve the unique know-how and the means that allow us to upgrade them, and this reflects IAI's commitment to its customer, who knew that even after decades since buying aircraft from us, we are committed to him and keep the ability to provide the service he needs."
IAI has produced a total of about 220 Kfir aircraft in various models. In addition to Sri Lanka, the Colombian Air Force also operates a squadron of Kfir aircraft, and the U.S. Air Force uses them for "aggressor" training in exercises.
