Page 151 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

151
tHe military doCtrine of tHe israeli air forCe

th
On the 19 of June, the Israeli government unanimously voted to withdraw from
Sinai and Golan in return for a peace treaty. In addition the government approved
negotiating a satisfactory border with Jordan. The Egyptian leaders and other Arab
States refused to come to terms with the military debacle and started to prepare
themselves for a further round of fighting. When the leaders of Israel were asked
what were they waiting for? Their reply was “We are waiting for a telephone call
from the Arabs”. In place of the telephone call, the Arab States came up with the
famous three “No’s” in the Khartoum Conference in November 1967: “No negotia-
tions, No recognition and No peace” with Israel.
The Six-Day War is exceptional in that the armed forces of a small country over-
whelmed the armies of three states and captured territory three times that of the
defending country in the short period of six days fighting. The IAF wiped out the air
forces of Egypt, Syria and Jordan in three hours, a unique achievement in the annals
of aerial warfare throughout the world. The concept of the IAF was proven to be cor-
rect, and air forces world-wide teach the strategy of the IAF in their military schools
and colleges.

“The War of Attrition” 1967-1970
The War of Attrition is considered by the Israeli Military establishment and in the
eyes of armies world-wide, as the “War of the Israeli Air Force”. The war began a
few weeks after the end of the Six-Day War in 1967. The leaders of Egypt and other
Arab States refused to come to terms with the military debacle and started to prepare
themselves for a further round of fighting.

Two IL’s14 a/c and a Mi8 helicopter destroyed by Israeli aircrafts in Bir Tmadeh airfield
(note the shadow of the Vautour a/c on the background that attacked the airfield).