Air Force to replace aging training jets, veterans of '67 war
Some of Tzukit trainers have been in service 45 years; jets to be replaced by U.S.-built T-6 trainers.
By Yuval Azoulay and Haaretz correspondent Tags: IAFThe Israel Air Force soon intends to replace its aging fleet of Fouga Magister (Tzukit) training jets with new American-made T-6 piston-engine trainers.
The first five planes are set to arrive to the IAF's flight school at Hatzerim at the start of 2009 and will be used to instruct pilot cadets. By the end of 2009, the IAF plans to have approximately 15 T-6s.
The decision to replace the jets was taken in part because the fleet of Tzukits is aging. Some have been used by the IAF for more than 45 years, and on more than one occasion, senior IAF officers have expressed their love for the plane.
The Tzukit has long been a centerpiece of IAF air shows, with teams of pilots flying the planes in precision formations for admiring crowds.
During the 1967 war, the trainers were refitted with cannons and light rockets and flew close support missions for Israeli ground forces. The craft has also been used for reconnaissance
The air force has yet to find a Hebrew name for the new trainer.
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