The F-16I is a two-seat variant of the Block 52 developed for the Israeli Defense Force Air Force (IDF/AF). Israel issued a requirement in September 1997 and selected the F-16 in preference to the F-15I in July 1999. An initial "Peace Marble V" contract was signed on January 14th, 2000, with a follow on contract signed on December 19th, 2001, for a total procurement of 102 aircraft. The F-16I, which is called Sufa (Storm) by the IDF/AF, first flew on December 23rd, 2003, and deliveries to the IDF/AF began on February 19th, 2004. The F-16I has an estimated unit cost of approximately US$70 million (2006).

The F-16I's most notable difference from the standard Block 52 is that approximately 50% of the American avionics have been replaced by Israeli-developed avionics (such as the Israeli Aerial Towed Decoy replacing the ALE-50). The addition of Israeli-built autonomous aerial combat maneuvering instrumentation systems enables the training exercises to be conducted without dependence on ground instrumentation systems, and the helmet-mounted sight is also standard equipment. The helmet-mounted sight, head-up display (HUD), mission computer, presentation computer, and digital map display are made by Elbit Systems of Israel. Furthermore, the F-16I is able to employ Rafael's new Python 5 imaging infrared-guided high-agility air-to-air missile. The F-16I also has the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)-built removable conformal fuel tanks (CFT) added to extend its range; removal takes two hours. Key American-sourced systems include the F100-PW-229 turbofan engine, which offers commonality with the IDF/AF's F-15Is, and the APG-68(V)9 radar

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale diecast replica of an IDF General Dynamics F-16I Sufa fighter that was attached to the 107 Squadron "Knights of the Orange Tail", then participating in Operation Rising Lion, the aerial attack on Iran, and based at Hatzerim Air Base, Israel, during June 2025. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-inches
Length: 8-inches

Release Date: April 2026

Historical Account: "Knights of the Orange Tail" - The Iran-Israel war, also known as the Twelve-Day War (June 13th - June 24th, 2025), was an armed conflict in the Middle East fought during June 2025, in the midst of the Gaza war and its broader regional spillover. It began when Israel launched surprise attacks on key military and nuclear facilities in Iran on June 13th, 2025. In the opening hours of the war, Israeli air and ground forces assassinated some of Iran's prominent military leaders, nuclear scientists, and politicians, as well as damaged or destroyed Iran's air defenses and some of its nuclear and military facilities. Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes throughout the war. Iran retaliated with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israeli cities and military sites; over 550 ballistic missiles and more than 1,000 suicide drones were launched by Iran during the war. The Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen also fired several missiles at Israel, in an adjunct of the Red Sea crisis. The United States, which defended Israel against Iranian missiles and drones, took offensive action on the ninth day of the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a US base in Qatar. On June 24th, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire after insistence from the US.

The conflict is considered an escalation of decades-long animosity between Israel and Iran, including a proxy war, during which Iran challenged Israel's legitimacy and called for its destruction. It also follows more than a decade of international concern about Iran's nuclear program, which Israel considers an existential threat. In 2015, six countries negotiated with Iran the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran and froze Iran's nuclear program, but in 2018, US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from and voided the deal, after which Iran began stockpiling enriched uranium and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) lost most of its ability to monitor Iran's nuclear facilities. During the crisis in the Middle East that followed the October 7th attacks in 2023 and the ensuing Gaza war, Israel targeted groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which receive support from Iran. Direct conflict began in April 2024 when Israel bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing senior Iranian officials, and the countries traded strikes in April and October. On June 12th, 2025, the IAEA passed a resolution drafted by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany that declared Iran non-compliant with its nuclear obligations. Israel began strikes the following day.