- Title: ISRAEL: AIR FORCE DAY DISPLAYS AERIAL MIGHT AND VERSATILITY OF ISRAELI AIR FORCE
- Date: 17th July 1969
- Summary: HELICOPTERS LAND TROOPS; MIRAGE FIGHTER TAKES OFF; VAUTOUR STRAFING; AIR CADETS PASSING OUT PARADE; DAYAN PRESENTS WINGS TO GRADUATE PILOT; MARCH PAST OF CADETS. Initials JDR/VS/CT/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: AIR FORCE BASE, SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH, ISRAEL
- Country: Israel
- Reuters ID: LVAA66HHBUC32Y04RZCO0M885RLV
- Story Text: ISRAEL'S AIR FORCE, A DECISIVE FACTOR IN THE SIX DAY WAR OF JUNE, 1967, WAS ON DISPLAY TODAY (THURSDAY). THE AIR FORCE DAY WAS THE THIRD SINCE THE SIX DAY WAR, AND THE EMPHASISES WAS ON THE HIGH STANDARD OF AIRMANSHIP AND THE VERSATILITY OF THE AIR FORCE.
THE OPEN DAY WAS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PASSING-OUT PARADE FOR AIR CADETS, DURING WHICH THE ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER, GENERAL DAYAN PRESENTED "WINGS" TO NEWLY GRADUATED PILOTS.
EARLIER, VISITORS TO THE BASE IN SOUTHERN ISRAEL WERE TREATED TO A DEMONSTRATION OF THE AIR FORCE'S CAPABILITIES. HELICOPTERS LANDED ASSAULT TROOPS THROUGH A SMOKE SCREEN IN A SIMULATED ANTI-GUERILLA OPERATION. THEN OTHER AIRCRAFT GAVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF GROUND ATTACK AND STRAFING.
THE OBJECT OF THE ISRAELI FORCES IS THE PRESERVATION OF ITS LEAD PILOT TRAINING AND MORALE OVER OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN AIR FORCES. SINCE THE SIX DAY WAR, THERE HAS BEEN GROWING EMPHASISES ON ANTI-GUERILLA OPERATIONS, PARTICULARLY STRAFING AND LOW-LEVEL BOMBING. THE AIR FORCE MUST DEPEND, ACCORDING TO ITS COMMANDER MAJOR-GENERAL MORDECAI HOD, ON A VERSATILE AIRCRAFT OF ATTACKING COMPARABLE AIRCRAFT IN THE AIR, AND AT THE SAME TIME POSSESSING A STRIKE AND GROUND ATTACK CAPABILITY.
IT IS ON THIS ASPECTS THAT THE ISRAELIS ARE STEPPING UP THEIR CAMPAIGN TO HAVE FRANCE REVIEW THE ARMS BAN IMPOSED BY GENERAL DE GAULLE. THE BAN HAS KEPT THE NEW MIRAGE 5J STRIKE AIRCRAFT IMMOBILISED ON A FRENCH AIRFIELD.
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