“During this flight, we really felt like missile hunters, though we were not sure who would hunt first: the missile or us,” Haim Katz, F-4 Kurnass navigator
In the years that preceded the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel invested heavily in the creation of a heavy attack force of four F-4 Phantom/Kurnass squadrons. They would fly 3,000+ sorties, claim 80+ kills, and suffer 30+ losses during the nineteen days of one of the most intensive, savage wars in modern military history.
In the years leading up to the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel made significant investments in developing a robust heavy attack force composed of four F-4 Phantom/Kurnass squadrons. These squadrons would conduct over 3,000 sorties, achieve more than 80 kills, and experience over 30 losses during the nineteen days of one of the most intense and brutal conflicts in modern military history.
Throughout the Yom Kippur War, the Kurnass had various missions to accomplish. In his book “Ghosts of Atonement, Israeli F-4 Phantom Operations during the Yom Kippur War,” Shlomo Aloni describes that the primary missions conducted by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) during the conflict included:
- RAM: air base attack offensive against air bases in Egypt or in Syria.
- MODEL: SEAD offensive against Syrian SAM batteries east of the Golan Heights.
- CHALLENGE: SEAD offensive against Egyptian SAM batteries west of the Suez Canal.
- DOMINIQUE: strategic bombing campaign against high-value targets.
- SCRATCH: defensive and offensive operations in a scenario of a surprise Arab attack.
On October 11, 1973 (the sixth day of the conflict), a group of Kurnass (EMPLOYEE 1 Snir/KatzA in F-4 165 EMPLOYEE 2 Knaan/ EMPLOYEE 3 Sagi/KatzH in F-4 163 EMPLOYEE 4 Aaronov/) from 119 Squadron was assigned to carry out SEAD operations against an SA-3 battery located south of Khan Alsheh, Syria. The pilots approached at a low altitude despite challenging weather conditions and heavy anti-aircraft fire, so they continued the mission from a medium altitude. Former Kurnass navigator Haim Katz commented:
“We approached from the north, from Mount Hermon. AAA fire opened at us, so we pulled up earlier than planned, and SAM launches followed. We broke from three missiles; many more missiles were launched, but we only broke from missiles that risked us. During break, we split from Aaronov. Each of us fought for his life against “his” missiles. We were already too slow when the fourth missile to risk us approached, so Sagi smoothed the aircraft with the panic button. We managed to accelerate a little and pull up. The missile followed, so we wildly pushed down while the missile continued to zoom upwards to 30,000 feet.
“We continued to break; our intention was to fly west, but breaks drew us east. While breaking, we heard Aaronov messing with his missiles but still managing to pinpoint the target and bomb it.
“Finally, we succeeded in returning to our territory after some 20 missiles—in a conservative evaluation—were launched against us. During this flight, we really felt like missile hunters, though we were not sure who would hunt first: the missile or us.
“This mission was considered successful, even though we did not bomb, if only because the Syrians “wasted” so many missiles; then again, the Russians continued to supply Syria with many more missiles.”
Ghosts of Atonement, Israeli F-4 Phantom Operations during the Yom Kippur War is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by Biton Hey’l Ha Avir and U.S. Navy
