Hatzerim Airbase was constructed during the 1960s and declared operational on 3 October 1966. It was the first IAF base built from the ground up, as a new base for the IAF, and not on existing base areas of the
Royal Air Force. From 1968 to 2015 there was a helicopter squadron here, most recently with
UH-60 Black Hawk, which then moved to
Palmachim Airbase. From 1969 until today there's the
"Flying Tiger" Squadron with jet trainers at Hatzerim, which flew the
TA-4H Skyhawk Ayit two-seater for many years (see photo down below), but also its one-seater fighter version
A-4H/N.
Flight Academy and Aerobatic Team After the base was opened, the
IAF Flight Academy was relocated here from
Tel Nof Airbase and has since then mainly used the northwestern part of the airfield and its runway for its propeller aircraft. Two-seat
turboprop training aircraft, which are also flown by the
IAF Aerobatic Team, are stationed on the much larger southern area with its three runways. The jet trainers are also located there, alongside operational IAF fighter jets. The northern area still has a heliport, but since the last helicopter squadron withdrew, it has only been used by the Flight Academy's training helicopters (see map). The Flight Academy had already flown the French two-seater
Fouga CM.170 Magister Tzukit at Tel Nof Airbase since 1960, which it kept for a total of 50 years in different variants until it was decommissioned in 2010 and was also flown by the Aerobatic Team during this time. These Hatzerim aircraft were also used during the
Six-Day War to carry out attacks on enemy radar stations and anti-aircraft artillery and also did
close air support (CAS). Hatzerim IAF Base (997009323963205171.jpg|Machines and cadets of the
IAF Flight Academy and the
Aerobatic Team (white stripes) at the Hatzerim Airbase in 1969 Avi Simchoni. IV.jpg|The four pilots and jets of the
IAF Aero­batic Team (see double goose symbol) at the Hatzerim Airbase in 1976 IAF A-4.jpg|A
TA-4H Skyhawk Ayit two-seater jet trainer of
102 Squadron "Flying Tiger" landing on Hatzerim Airbase in 2008 Fuga Magister 564 Habonim.jpg|A retired
Fouga CM.170 Magister Tzukit of the
IAF Aerobatic Team (see double goose symbol) at
HaBonim Airfield 2013 From 2010, the Flight Academy and the Aerobatic Team were equipped with the
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II Efroni, a two-seat turboprop aircraft that has similar flight characteristics to a light jet and is ideal for both purposes.
69 Squadron "Hammers" The
69 Squadron "Hammers" was founded in 1948 at
Ramat David Airbase and relocated to
Ekron Airbase (today: Tel Nof) in 1949. The squadron got its name from the
B-17 Flying Fortress bombers used at the time. From 1969 it flew the
F-4E Phantom II Kurnass (see gallery below), moved to Hatzerim Airbase in 1991 and received the
F-15I ''Ra'am'' from 1998, which is derived from the
F-15E Strike Eagle (see also
"Units").
107 Squadron "Knights Of The Orange Tail" The
107 Squadron, which was also founded in 1953 at Ramat David under a different name, was known as the "Knights Of The Orange Tail" Squadron from 1971 onwards at Hatzerim, where it flew the
F-4E Phantom II Kurnas also. From 2006 it finally received the
F-16I Sufa, which was adapted to IAF needs and derived from the two-seat
F-16D Block 50/52 Plus (see also
"Units").
Gallery of former aircraft Israeli B-17Gs 01011953.JPG|Israeli
B-17 Flying Fortress bombers of
69 Squadron "Hammers" of
Tel Nof Airbase in 1953 – the 69 Squadron moved to Hatzerim Airbase in 1991 Hatzerim F4 20100129 1.jpg|A retired
F-4E Phantom II Kurnas of
69 Squadron "Hammers" at the
Israeli Air Force Museum – adjacent to Hatzerim Airbase Hazerim roundabout.jpg|A
F-4E Phantom II Kurnas of the
107 Squadron "Knights Of The Orange Tail" – at the
Ilan-Ramon-Square roundabout in
Beersheba Hatzerim 280616 Saifan.jpg|A
Bell 206 Sayfan once used for helicopter training of the
IAF Flight Academy – at an exhibition 2016 at Hatzerim Airbase
Operation Outside the Box On 6 September 2007, four
F-15Is of the "Hammers" Squadron at Hatzerim and four
F-16Is of
Ramon Airbase flew an attack on an almost completed
nuclear reactor in
Syria under the code name
Operation Outside the Box and destroyed it. It was only more than 10 years later that Israel officially acknowledged the attack. They wanted to prevent Syria from building atomic bombs from the nuclear material obtained (see photo of the destroyed reactor in the gallery directly below). Operation Orchard. VII.jpg|Pilot and navigator of an
F-15I ''Ra'am'' are preparing for
Operation Outside the Box at Hatzerim Airbase Iniohos 2021 International Exercise, April 2021. XV.jpg|F-15I ''Ra'am
(below) and F-16I Sufa'' over the Mediterranean Sea in 2021 like in
Operation Outside the Box Syrian Reactor Before After.jpg|The
Syrian nuclear reactor destroyed by
Operation Outside the Box in 2007 Operation Outside the Box Badge.png|The badge of
Operation Outside the Box, which was only applied to the participating fighter jets in 2018 == Current ==