Ramat David Airbase


Ramat David Airbase is an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base located 20 km southeast of Haifa in the Northern District of Israel, close to kibbutz Ramat David in the Jezreel Valley. It is the northernmost IAF base in Israel with fighter jets and UAVs based on it. And it has three runways, each about 2.5 km long, and a heliport.
There is an ongoing debate about whether Ramat David should be converted into an international airport for the city of Haifa. It now seems almost certain that this will happen.

History

Kibbutz and military camp

Before the airbase was built during World War II, there was already a British military camp [|here]. Kibbutz Ramat David "David Heights", founded in 1926, takes its name from British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, who was in office at the time of the Balfour Declaration, where the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine was announced.

RAF Ramat David

, in his World War II autobiography 'Going Solo', mentions landing his RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk.I at Ramat David in June 1941. At that time it was a ribbon of dry earth that had been rolled out in the middle of a large field of sweet-corn built by the Brits and residents of the nearby kibbutz, as Roald Dahl also reports near the end of his book. This secret airstrip behind Mount Carmel was installed as an alternative runway in case the Haifa Aerodrome 20 km northwest of it was attacked and damaged by the Germans or Italians.
In 1942, the RAF Ramat David military airfield was finally established by the Royal Air Force (RAF) under the British Mandate for Palestine. From this point on, several British aircraft squadrons with fighter aircraft, bombers and transport aircraft were stationed there in turn.
During the Second World War Jewish paratroopers trained at Ramat David to serve in RAF special operation commandos and to drop behind enemy lines in German or German-occupied territory. They were supposed to help bring downed Allied airmen safely back and help Jews hide from the Nazis. Several of them died.

Former RAF units

Former Royal Air Force operational units at RAF Ramat David:
Over time, the Airbase was expanded to the main base of IAF operations north of Israel in Syria and Lebanon.
The 69 Squadron "Hammers" with three decommissioned B-17 Flying Fortress bombers smuggled from the US to Israel in 1948 was initially stationed here. This was done by the help of Charles Winters, a Miami businessman who was imprisoned for this and was posthumously pardoned by President George W. Bush in 2008.
The 103 Squadron "Elephants" with three DC-3 Dakota and one Douglas DC-5 transport aircraft was initially stationed here also, but both squadrons were relocated to other Israeli bases in the following years.
The future Israeli president Ezer Weizman was base commander at Ramat David in the 1950s before he finally took over command of the IAF. In 2011 the base' Wing 1 there was named after him.

101 Squadron "First Fighter" – active

The 101 Squadron is Israel's "First Fighter" squadron, formed on 20 May 1948, six days after Israel declared its independence. Initially flying the Avia S-199, it has since operated the Supermarine Spitfire, North American Mustang, Dassault Mystere IV, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Nesher, IAI Kfir and F-16 Fighting Falcon#F-16C/D|F-16C] Barak. In 2021 it relocated from Hatzor Airbase to Ramat David.

105 Squadron "Scorpion" – active

The 105 Squadron "Scorpion" was founded in December 1950 as a Spitfire squadron. It has since operated the P-51 Mustang, Dassault Super Mystere, IAI Sa'ar, F-4 Phantom II and F-16D Barak on other airbases. The name "Scorpion" is intended to refer to a ground attack aircraft. In 2021 the squadron was relocated to Ramat David where it is based until the present day.

109 Squadron "The Valley" – active

The 109 Squadron "The Valley" was established in 1951 under a different name at Tel Nof Airbase and moved to Ramat David in 1956, where it still exists today. It got its name “The Valley” after the Jezreel Valley where the base is located. At Ramat David it flew the Dassault Mystère IV A, A-4H/N Skyhawk Ayit, IAI Kfir C.7 and finally from 1991 to the present day the two-seater F-16D Barak.

110 Squadron "Knights Of The North" – closed

The 110 Squadron "Knights Of The North" existed from 1953 to 2017 and flew the De Havilland Mosquito, S.O. 4050 Vautour IIA/B, Gloster Meteor F.8, A-4H/N Skyhawk Ayit, F-16A/B Netz, F-16C/D Barak and – together with 117 Squadron – took part in the destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.

117 Squadron "First Jet" – moved

The 117 Squadron "First Jet" was inaugurated on 17 June 1953 as the IAF's first fighter jet squadron with British Gloster Meteor at Ramat David. In 1962 these were replaced by French Dassault Mirage IIICJ Shahak, which then took part in the Six-Day War, the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War. In 1980, together with the 110 Squadron, they received the first F-16A/B Netz fighter jets from the USA. In June 1981, four jets from 117 Squadron took part in Operation Opera, the destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak near Baghdad. From 1986/87 these were then replaced by the IAF's first F-16C/D Barak, which remained until the squadron was temporarily closed in 2020.

Underground hangars

The fighter jets are housed in large underground hangar systems and shelters into which they disappear after each landing and which have several entrances and exits. This protects them from missiles and at the same time hides them from view and precise localization. Syria and Lebanon are only 50 to 60 km away, from where rockets are repeatedly fired at northern Israel. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, this airbase was the only one where rockets hit and not only destroyed facilities but also caused casualties.

Hezbollah attacks

On 22 August and 22 September 2024, the terrorist group Hezbollah launched many rockets from Lebanon in an attempt to hit the base, but no serious hit has been reported. An Iron Dome defense system stationed there had probably intercepted most of the incoming missiles. Hezbollah had previously published a disturbing video showing the base from above by a UAV flying over for several minutes and named various buildings and installations on it. The video also showed that some Apache attack helicopters from the Ramon Airbase are temporarily stationed there to take part in military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah.

Today

F-16 fighter jets

At the beginning of October 2020, as part of an IAF efficiency program, the 117 Squadron "First Jet" with F-16 fighter jets on Ramat David was disbanded and most of the jets and pilots were assigned to other units. It was involved in all of the country's wars since 1953 and, among other things, also involved in Operation Opera, the destruction of an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. In July 2021, the squadron reopened at Nevatim Airbase with new F-35I Adir jets.
From March 2021, the two F-16 Squadrons 101 "First Fighter" and 105 "Scorpion" were gradually relocated here from Hatzor Airbase to bring all remaining F-16C/D Barak jets under one roof. They were united with 109 Squadron "The Valley" of F-16D machines. Three squadrons with the newer General Dynamics [F-16 Fighting Falcon variants#F-16I Sufa|F-16I] Sufa, adapted to Israeli needs, are based at Ramon Airbase, as well as a fourth squadron of them at Hatzerim Airbase.
In December 2024, the first ultra-Orthodox technician unit of the IAF was established on Ramat David, after 26 so-called Haredim had completed their training. They will be responsible for the 105 Squadron "Scorpion" with F-16D fighter jets and maintain their weapons systems. The aim of this training is to better integrate ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army. The challenge is to enable soldiers to live a religious lifestyle within the army. This includes separate accommodation, strict kosher cuisine and the construction of a synagogue on the base. The IAF called the now completed training a "groundbreaking pilot project".

Helicopters

From 1996 to 2025, the Eurocopter AS565 Panther Atalef of 193 Squadron "Defenders Of The West" at Ramat David served as maritime reconnaissance, surveillance and SAR helicopters and were used in close cooperation with the Israeli Navy as on-board helicopters on ships of the Sa'ar 5-class corvette and Sa'ar 6-class corvette. These have their home port at the Haifa naval base, 25 km away.
On 31 August 2025, the 193 Squadron at Ramat David was closed. It is expected to reopen in 2026 at Palmachim Airbase with eight SH-60F Seahawk, which had already been purchased by the IAF and Navy from US Navy stocks in 2015. The helicopters were extensively converted and equipped with Israeli systems.
Until then, the remaining Atalefs will continue to serve on the ships. The relocation of 193 Squadron "Defenders Of The West" is another indication that Ramat David is being prepared to be abandoned by the IAF and converted into a civilian airport.

Secret UAVs

There are two squadrons of still-secret UAVs at Ramat David: the 157 Squadron "In The Valley" and the 160 Squadron "Shadow Hunter". It is assumed that the reason for the secrecy is their stealthiness. Since other countries have such stealth UAVs for a long time, it can also be assumed that Israel – a leading manufacturer of drones – also has such aircraft, but wants to keep their appearance secret for as long as possible. Large UAVs are also designed to fly for at least 24 hours at a time, which would make the whole of Iran accessible, for example.

International airport

Since 2014, there have been considerations to convert Ramat David into a third major international airport alongside Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv and Ramon Airport near Eilat. The Nevatim Airbase in the south of Israel was also being discussed, which could be used for both military and civilian purposes, as was previously the case with the Ovda Airbase for over 30 years.
In the meantime, the civilian conversion of Ramat David seemed to be off the table, because the local resistance to it is too strong. In 2021, the government's policy was to build two smaller international airports at both Haifa in the north and Beersheba in the south. However, after the presentation of an extensive study and audit in 2023, Ramat David is again the top priority for a major airport.
In July 2025, Israel's National Planning and Construction Council approved a review of plans for two international airports at Ramat David and Ziklag, including environmental adjustments, a review of security aspects, and addressing existing construction constraints.

Units

Note: IAF aircraft can usually be assigned to their squadron by the symbols on the tail

Accidents

  • On 16 September 1996, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from the 193 Squadron "Defenders of the West" from Ramat David crashed about 12 miles off the coast of Nahariya, killing all three crew members.
  • At the end of March 2000, an F-16D Barak of 109 Squadron "The Valley" from Ramat David crashed into the sea 20 kilometers off the coast of Atlit during a night exercise. The pilot – a grandson of former Prime Minister Menachem Begin – and his navigator were killed in the crash.
  • In early January 2022, an AS 565 Panther Atalef of 193 Squadron "Defenders of the West" from Ramat David crashed off the coast of Haifa, killing two crew members and seriously injuring another.