IAI Nesher

Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)

Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Founded	1953 (1953)
Headquarters	Lod , Israel
Products	Aircraft, including Nesher fighter jet

Overview

The Nesher, developed by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and known in Hebrew as נשר (meaning griffon vulture and sometimes translated as eagle), is the Israeli-built variant of the French-designed Dassault Mirage 5 multirole fighter aircraft.

Following significant aircraft losses sustained during the 1967 Six-Day War and the subsequent War of Attrition in the late 1960s, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) sought to acquire an enhanced version of the successful Dassault Mirage III. Initially, a collaboration was established between Dassault Aviation of France and Israel Aircraft Industries to produce the Mirage 5. However, in January 1969, after Israel's military actions in Lebanon in 1968, the French government imposed an arms embargo against Israel. In response, Israel chose to continue with the project by manufacturing the airframes domestically.

Production began at IAI in 1969. Official sources indicate that Israel had already secured complete blueprints and detailed technical data before the embargo took effect. The Nesher's airframe mirrored that of the Mirage 5 but incorporated Israeli-made avionics, a Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, and compatibility with a broader selection of air-to-air missiles, notably including the Israeli Python-class Shafrir heat-seeking missile. The prototype Nesher took to the skies for its maiden flight in September 1969. By May 1971, the first Raam A model was delivered to the IAF, and in November of that year, the aircraft received its official designation as Nesher. The aircraft reached its operational zenith during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where it reportedly performed admirably; IAF pilots flying Neshers claimed over one hundred aerial victories throughout the conflict.

By 1974, Nesher production ceased as focus shifted toward a more advanced derivative developed alongside it—the IAI Kfir. The Nesher was phased out of Israeli service during the late 1970s. Subsequently, these aircraft were sold to Argentina, where they were operated under the name Dagger. Argentina deployed Daggers rapidly during the 1978 Beagle conflict—a territorial dispute and military tension with Chile. Later, in the 1982 Falklands War against the United Kingdom, Daggers flew a total of 153 sorties targeting both land and naval objectives over a 45-day campaign. Their anti-ship operations reportedly inflicted damage on several Royal Navy vessels, including HMS Antrim (D18), HMS Brilliant (F90), HMS Broadsword (F88), HMS Ardent (F184), HMS Arrow (F173), and HMS Plymouth (F126). Throughout combat engagements with British forces, Argentina lost eleven Daggers—nine of which were downed by Royal Navy Sea Harriers. The surviving aircraft were eventually upgraded to what became known as the Finger standard.

Origins

In early 1962, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) introduced its initial batch of Dassault Mirage IIICJ fighter jets. For nearly twenty years, this aircraft served as a dominant air supremacy asset, effectively securing airspace against enemy fighters and achieving a notable combat record. The Mirage IIICJ's performance was widely praised, positioning it as a promising candidate for further enhancements. By the late 1960s, the IAF faced increasing pressure to replenish over 60 combat aircraft lost in multiple conflicts with neighboring states, including the Six-Day War of 1967 and the subsequent War of Attrition lasting until 1970. Simultaneously, an escalating arms race was underway between Israel and regional adversaries such as Syria and Egypt, who were acquiring progressively sophisticated weaponry from the Soviet Union.

Consequently, in July 1960, Israel initiated a collaborative development project with the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation to create and manufacture a variant based on the successful Mirage III fighter platform. This initiative resulted in the Mirage 5, which Israel produced domestically under the name Raam (meaning thunder in Hebrew). Dassault pursued this development at Israel’s behest, as the Israelis were among the primary foreign buyers of the Mirage III and generally favored France for military procurement during this period. The IAF's design specifications for this new variant prioritized reducing the aircraft's all-weather operational capabilities by removing its primary radar system. This trade-off allowed for enhanced payload capacity and extended range, capitalizing on the predominantly clear weather conditions typical of the Middle East.

Before the prototype had even completed its first flight, Israel placed an order for 50 units along with two trainer versions intended for IAF use. However, progress was abruptly halted in January 1969 when France imposed an arms embargo on Israel and other "warring nations of the Middle East" following the 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon. This embargo blocked delivery of the initial 30 Mirage 5 aircraft already paid for by Israel and prevented fulfillment of options for an additional 20 planes. Beyond halting deliveries, it also severed French technical support for Israel’s existing Mirage IIICJ fleet. Strategically, this embargo served as a catalyst for Israel to accelerate development within its indigenous defense industry to fulfill its operational needs.

The embargo represented a significant obstacle for the IAF, which had intended to introduce the Mirage 5 variant to offset losses sustained during the Six-Day War while continuing operations with aging Mirage IIIC models without official support. In reaction to France’s decision, Israel embarked on domestic production of these aircraft under the Raam A and B projects. It is reported that Israel already possessed detailed blueprints and technical documentation for the aircraft but did not secure an official manufacturing license from Dassault. Aviation historian Don McCarthy suggests that Israeli intelligence agency Mossad may have facilitated acquisition of some manufacturing data, while others speculate that Marcel Dassault himself might have willingly shared certain design information.

Production

Aviation experts Doug Dildy and Pablo Calcaterra indicate that Dassault covertly supplied the jigs, fixtures, and a substantial number of airframe parts to Israel through an industrial consortium combining the Israeli aerospace firm Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and the American company North American Rockwell. It is reported that a manufacturing license was granted to this partnership in January 1968. Initially, unarmed airframes lacking electronics, ejection seats, or engines were delivered directly from Dassault's facilities in France. According to Dildy and Calcaterra, detailed technical data regarding the Atar engine was acquired through the Swiss manufacturer Sulzer, which produced these engines for Switzerland’s own Mirage fleet. By utilizing these blueprints alongside several Atar engines from the Israeli Air Force’s existing Mirages for reverse engineering, Israel succeeded in independently producing its own powerplants.

Manufacturing operations commenced at IAI in 1969. Officially, Israel produced the aircraft after securing a full set of technical drawings. However, alternative accounts suggest that Israel received 50 Mirage 5 units in a disassembled condition, transported in crates directly from the French Air Force (AdA), while the AdA assumed control over the 50 aircraft originally destined for Israeli service. The first Nesher prototype took to the skies for its maiden flight in September 1969. By May 1971, the initial Raam A model was delivered to the Israeli Air Force, and in November of that year, the aircraft was formally designated as Nesher.

The Nesher’s airframe mirrored that of the Mirage 5 but featured extensive integration of Israeli-manufactured avionics systems, along with the incorporation of a Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat. Additionally, it was equipped to support a broader array of air-to-air missiles, including Israel’s indigenous Shafrir heat-seeking missile. In total, IAI constructed 51 single-seat Nesher fighters (Nesher S) and ten two-seat trainer variants (Nesher T). Compared to the Mirage IIIC operated by the IAF, the Nesher utilized more rudimentary avionics and was reportedly slightly less agile. Nevertheless, it offered an extended combat radius and greater payload capacity. Despite its reduced maneuverability, the Nesher demonstrated effective performance during aerial engagements in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

By 1974, production of the Nesher ceased as focus shifted toward a more advanced Mirage derivative developed concurrently with the Nesher project. The key distinction of this new model was substituting the Atar engine with an Israeli-produced General Electric J79 powerplant. The J79 engine had gained widespread use among American combat aircraft such as the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. This upgraded fighter was designated as the IAI Kfir.

Israel

File:Israel Air Forces' Mirage V aircraft Flying Over the Golan Heights - Flickr - Israel Defense Forces.jpg

Israeli Nesher flying above the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War

The initial Raam A was delivered to the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in May 1971. Deliveries of production models continued until February 1974, culminating in a total of 51 Nesher single-seat fighters and 10 two-seat Nesher trainers supplied to the IAF.

The Nesher reached the peak of its operational use with the IAF during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The aircraft reportedly demonstrated strong performance throughout the conflict, with Israeli pilots collectively credited with over one hundred aerial victories while flying this type. Soon after the war, a decision was made to phase out the Nesher. The emergence of the more advanced Kfir variant reduced the Nesher’s strategic value, and its extensive use in combat had accelerated airframe wear. Once withdrawn from Israeli service, most remaining Neshers were refurbished and sold to Argentina, where they were designated as Dagger aircraft.

Argentina

After being retired by Israel, the remaining Neshers underwent refurbishment before being exported to the Argentine Air Force in two shipments: 26 fighters arrived in 1978, followed by an additional 13 in 1980, accompanied by fifty Rafael Shafrir IV air-to-air missiles from Python. Within Argentine service, these aircraft were known as Dagger; at their operational peak, Argentina operated 35 single-seat Dagger A fighters along with four two-seat Dagger B trainers. In 1978, these Daggers formed the basis of a new unit, the 6th Air Group, which operated alongside support from the 8th Air Group (equipped with Mirage IIIEA aircraft) and cooperation with the Peruvian Air Force, an established Mirage 5 operator. This rapid deployment was driven by the Beagle conflict, a territorial dispute and diplomatic tension between Argentina and neighboring Chile during that year.

File:IAI Dagger.jpg

Argentine Air Force Dagger at Jujuy Airport, 1981

During the 1982 Falklands War, Daggers were stationed at southern airbases including Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego and an airfield near Puerto San Julián. Despite lacking aerial refueling capabilities and facing significant distances to targets, Daggers conducted 153 sorties targeting both naval and ground objectives over the course of 45 days of hostilities.

These aircraft inflicted damage on multiple vessels during anti-ship operations, including HMS Antrim, Brilliant, Broadsword, and Arrow through cannon fire, as well as Plymouth and Ardent with bomb attacks. Eleven Daggers were lost in combat: nine were shot down by AIM-9L Sidewinders launched from BAe Sea Harrier jets, one was destroyed by a Sea Wolf missile from HMS Broadsword, and another was taken down by a land-based Rapier system.

Under a 1979 agreement with IAI, Argentina required that its Daggers be upgraded with modern avionics and heads-up display (HUD) systems to bring them up to or beyond the Kfir C.2 standard. This modernization effort, called Finger, was underway when hostilities erupted in 1982. The brief conflict exposed complications due to British-supplied components—particularly those from Marconi Electronic Systems—leading to an arms embargo by the United Kingdom government. Consequently, British-made systems had to be replaced post-war. This resulted in an updated variant known as Finger IIIB, which primarily differed from its predecessor by substituting British equipment with French alternatives sourced from Thomson-CSF.

Variants

• Nesher S : A single-seat fighter designed for ground-attack missions, operated by the Israeli Air Force.
• Nesher T : A dual-seat trainer model utilized by the Israeli Air Force.
• Dagger A : Updated single-seat fighter variant employed by the Argentine Air Force.
• Dagger B : Refurbished two-seat training aircraft used by the Argentine Air Force.

Operators

File:IAI Nesher Former Users.png

Countries that previously operated the Nesher.

Former

Template:ARG

• Argentine Air Force: Acquired 39 Daggers, all of which have been retired.

Template:ISR

• Israeli Air Force: Operated 61 aircraft, now retired.

South Africa

• South African Air Force: Utilized 5 units.

References

Bibliography

• Dildy, Doug and Pablo Calcaterra. Sea Harrier FRS 1 vs Mirage III/Dagger: South Atlantic 1982. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. ISBN 1-47281-890-3.
• Gupta, Amit. Building an Arsenal: The Evolution of Regional Power Force Structures. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1997. ISBN 0-27595-787-X.
• McCarthy, Don. The Sword of David: The Israeli Air Force at War, Pen and Sword, 2013. ISBN 1-47383-283-7.

Further reading

• Template:Usurped ACIG, Accessed: 13 October 2006.
• Template:Usurped ACIG, Accessed: 13 October 2006.
• "The Designer of the B-1 Bomber's Airframe." Wing Magazine, Vol. 30/No 4, August 2000. p. 48.
• Swiss Federal Court, case of Alfred Frauenknecht, appeal decision, 3 November 1970.

External links

• Mirage Argentina, el sitio de los Deltas argentinos (in Spanish)