Iran's weekend barrage on Israel demonstrated both the strength of its airborne armory and Israel's formidable, yet costly, defense systems. The attack brought renewed focus on both countries' airborne military capabilities.

Jerusalem

Iran's recent direct attack on Israel, cited as a response to a suspected Israeli strike on its Tehran embassy in Damascus, has highlighted the military air power of both nations. This development brings to the forefront the capabilities and inventory of both Iran's and Israel's airborne and defense systems, underscoring the complexities of their long-standing regional rivalry.

Iran boasts an air force comprising 37,000 personnel, with a notable emphasis on tactical ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), earning itself the title of a "superpower" in these domains from a former Israeli air defense chief. However, the effects of international sanctions over the years are evident in Iran's air force, restricting access to modern high-tech military equipment. The Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) notes that Iran's operational aircraft fleet includes aging models dating back to before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, alongside a limited number of Russian-made jets and a significant inventory of drones believed to number in the low thousands. Iran's missile capability is substantial, with over 3,500 surface-to-surface missiles, some capable of carrying half-ton warheads, though the exact number that can reach Israeli territory remains unspecified.

On the defensive front, Iran utilizes a mix of Russian-sourced and domestically manufactured air defense systems, a strategy mirrored in deployments within Syria since 2015. This exposure has provided Israeli pilots with considerable experience in countering such defenses, though experts from IISS point out that Iran's air defenses lack the comprehensiveness of Israel's sophisticated systems.

Israel, in contrast, maintains an advanced air force, significantly bolstered by U.S. military support, encompassing hundreds of F-15, F-16, and F-35 multipurpose jet fighters. While lacking in long-range bombers, Israel possesses converted Boeing 707s for aerial refueling, enabling extended operational reach for its fighter jets. Israel is also recognized for its pioneering developments in drone technology, with the Heron UAV capable of exceeding 30-hour flight durations for extended missions.

The core of Israel's air defense strategy is encapsulated in its multi-layered systems, including the high-altitude Arrow system designed for ballistic missile interception in space, complemented by the David Sling and Iron Dome systems for mid and short-range threats, respectively. However, the financial burden of Israel's comprehensive air defense was underlined by recent events, with analyst estimates suggesting the cost of repelling Iran's attack fell between $80 million to $100 million for Iran, whereas it exacted a financial toll approximating $1 billion on Israel and its allies. Brigadier General Doron Gavish, head of Israel's air defense task force, has indicated that Israel is intensifying efforts to replenish its arsenal in anticipation of future confrontations with Iran or its affiliated groups.



What Iran and Israel would wield in a long-range air war

Iran's first direct attack on Israel, which Tehran says was in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy in Damascus, has brought renewed focus on the country's air forces and defense systems. Here's a look. The Iranian air force has 37,000 personnel, and a former Israeli air defense chief says Iran is a, quote, superpower in tactile ballistic missiles and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles. But decades of international sanctions have largely cut the country off from the latest in high-tech military equipment, according to the Institute for Strategic Studies, or IISS, in London. The air force only has a few dozen working strike aircraft, including some models acquired before the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Iran has a squadron of nine F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, one squadron of Russian-made Sukhoi 24 jets, and some MiG-29s, F-7 and F-14 aircraft, IISS said. Iran also has pilotless planes designed to fly into targets and explode. Analysts believe this drone arsenal numbers in the low thousands. Analysts also say Iran has more than 3,500 surface-to-surface missiles, some of which carry half-ton warheads. However, the number capable of reaching Israel may be lower. For defense, Iran relies on a mixture of Russian and domestically produced surface-to-air missile and air defense systems. Similar systems have been deployed in Syria since 2015, giving Israeli pilots years of experience in dealing with them. A research fellow at IISS said that the country does not have the comprehensive air defenses that Israel has. Israel has an advanced U.S.-supplied air force with hundreds of F-15, F-16 and F-35 multipurpose jet fighters. The air force lacks long-range bombers, though a smaller fleet of repurposed Boeing 707s serve as refueling tankers that could enable its fighters to reach Iran for pinpoint sorties. A pioneer in drone technology, Israel has Heron pilotless planes capable of flying for more than 30 hours, enough for far-flung operations. Whether Israel is willing to risk a direct strike would partly depend on how confident it is that it can thwart further attacks by Iran. Israel's multi-layer air defense is built around the high-altitude Arrow system. The highest altitude system is Arrow 3, which intercepts ballistic missiles in space. An earlier model, Arrow 2, works at lower altitudes. There's also the mid-range David Sling and the short-range Iron Dome, which has fended off thousands of rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon. But these do not come cheap. Although Israeli officials have given no details, analysts calculate the price of Iran's attack probably amounted to $80 million to $100 million, but cost Israel and its allies around $1 billion to repel. Brigadier General Doron Gavish, head of Israel's air defense task force, said Israel has been working overtime to rebuild its stockpiles in preparation for another possible attack from Iran or its proxies.

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