McDonnell Douglas’ A-4 Skyhawk, aka. “Scooter,” has a long and storied career as a carrier-based attack aircraft with the US Navy. It’s old enough that Sen. John McCain was flying one when he was shot down over North Vietnam. It also has a storied land-based career with the Israeli Air Force, who used this simple, pilot-friendly aircraft from late 1967 onward as a versatile attack aircraft with surprising air-air teeth.

Israel’s induction of F-16s was a turning point for the type, which has declined in importance but never vanished from service. Some are in storage or used as specialty platforms, others have been sold or leased to private operators, and the “Flying Tigers” of 102 Squadron at Hatzerim Air Base still use their A-4Ns and 2-seat TA-4Js for advanced IAF Lead-In Fighter Training.

A maintenance scandal has led Israel to conclude, after more than 40 years, that its Skyhawks need replacement. The latest news involves an official Israeli delegation that’s in South Korea to test-fly KAI’s supersonic T-50

On Wings of Skyhawks: Service in Israel

The Skyhawk is a much-beloved jet in the Israeli Air Force. The little A-4’s surprising maneuverability was coupled with an equally surprising ability to take battle damage, made it a popular and reliable choice over several wars. The type was used heavily in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the Israeli fleet took correspondingly heavy loses: of 102 aircraft lost, 53 were Skyhawks.

That war was not without its moments of distinction. In one engagement, an Israeli A-4 Skyhawk found itself facing 3 MiG-21s. The maneuverable little Skyhawk turned on them and brought 2 of them down, and was reportedly on the 3rd Fishbed’s tail when an IAF Mirage IIIC zipped through and blasted the MiG out of the sky. Per mission losses in 1973 were just 0.6%, a lower figure than the previous 1970 War of Attrition with Egypt. Nevertheless, the writing was on the wall.

When Israel began inducting F-16s, the A-4s began to take a back seat. Some did participate in the 1982 Lebanon War, and one even scored a MiG-17 kill. By that time, however, squadron migrations to the F-16 had already begun, and 33 of the Skyhawks had been sold to Indonesia. By the mid 1990s, almost all of Israel’s fighter squadrons had migrated, and 2000-2001 saw a handful of Israeli Skyhawks sold to corporate operators in BAE and ATSI.

A number of A-4E/H/N aircraft are currently stored at Ovda Air Base, some planes have been used as electronic warfare support aircraft, others have been sold or leased to contractors like ATAC, and as noted earlier, the “Flying Tigers” of 102 Squadron at Hatzerim Air Base still use their A-4Ns and 2-seat TA-4Js for advanced IAF pilot training.

Surviving Israeli aircraft required maintenance, which was being provided by the contractor Kanfei Tahzuka via Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Unfortunately, the little plane that could appears to have finally met its match. A scandal has grounded Israel’s Skyhawk fleet – and is about to lead to its replacement.

IAF Replacement Candidates

Candidates to replace the aircraft reportedly include converted IAF early-model F-16Bs, Boeing’s license-produced T-45TS Goshawk used by the US Navy, Finmeccanica’s M346 variant of the Yak-130, and Korea’s supersonic T-50.

The F-16s are reportedly a low-ranking option, because of the difficulty of transitioning from a primary jet trainer like the Fouga Magister or its T-6A turboprop replacement.

The Goshawk would offer a welcome boost for Boeing’s closing production line, and could be purchased with American military aid dollars. The flip side is that the US Navy has not invested in giving them secondary mission capabilities beyond their training role.

The M346’s performance profile and ordnance-carrying capability in a pinch is probably the closest to the Skyhawk’s, but Finmeccanica would have to overcome significant doubts regarding its long-term political stability as a supplier.

South Korea’s supersonic T-50 offers the highest potential performance within the group, with the ability to operate as an “F-16 Lite” in addition to its training role. Israeli firms have made inroads into the Korean market with their UAVs, and a T-50 order could represent the next step for both countries. An agreement that deepened bilateral defense ties, and included Israeli cooperation toward a T/A-50 with light attack capabilities, would create the most capable option for the IAF, while solving a problem for South Korea. The resulting trainer/ light fighter would have the potential for significant ripple effects in the global arms market. That high potential upside would come with a corresponding cost, however, as this would be Israel’s most expensive option.