Note the Syrian roundel on the nose. A mark such as this is usual if this particular aircraft was involved in downing an enemy aircraft.

This Netz is FMS serial 80-0656 and was handed over to the ISraeli Air Force on 10 July 1981. The F-16A was retirned in 2006 and since stored.

The Flying Dragon Squadron was using this Netz in the aggressor role. The aircraft is parked here underneath ground level at Ovda. The F-16A is former USAF 78-0329 and was handed over to Israel on 24 November 1980. It arrived in Israel only on 18 February 1981. The Netz was used in Operation Opera (raid on nuclear powerplant Osirak (Iraq) and apparently also was used to shoot down a Syrian aircraft, referring to the kill-mark on the nose. The Netz was retired in 2012 and is stored at Ovbda since.

FMS serial 78-0321 was handed over to the IAF on 9 September 1980. It arrived in Israel in late November 1980 and was assigned to 117sq. It also served 253sq (where it received the Syrian kill marking), 116sq (as shown on this picture), then 140sq and then again 116sq. Since May 2015, this Netz is stored at Tel Nof.

735 leading a line of stored Netz fighters (visible are 726, 759, 724 and 709), all former 144sq The Phoenix Squadron, once based at Hatzor air base.

This early F-16A has US serial 79-0302.

US FY # 80-0656. After a 30 year career flying with different IAF squadrons as "275", this F-16A spent it's last few years with Israel's aggressor squadron 115 out of Ovda. As such, this bird was re-serialled to "115" in December 2012 to reflect the squadron's number, a tradition initially started by some IAF F-16I "Sufa" units.

US FY 78-0342, originally destined for Iran, this airframe was "diverted" to Israel under the Foreign Military Sales program "Peace Marble I" in early 1980. It first went to 110 Squadron in Ramat David, then to 253 Squadron in Ramon and ended up with 116 Squadron in Nevatim. It achieved one kill and was one of eight F-16A's participating in the historic June 7, 1981 raid on Iraq's nuclear reactor "Osirak". The raid was coded "Operation Opera" and 243 was flown by the late Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut who lost his life in the 2003 Columbia disaster.

Instructional airframe

Instructional airframe