Overview
The Kfir ("lion cub") was developed from the French Mirage 5 with an American J79 engine and later small canards. Israel retired it from front-line service, but it was exported to Colombia, Ecuador and Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Air Force's No. 10 Fighter Squadron has flown Kfirs since 1996.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 15.65 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8.22 m |
| Height | 4.55 m |
| Wing area | 34.8 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 7,285 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 16,200 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 2,440 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max. Mach | Mach 2.30 |
| Combat radius | 768 km |
| Service ceiling | 17,680 m |
| Rate of climb | 233.0 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 1 |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints | 9 |
Powerplant
| Engines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | IAI Bedek J79-J1E |
| Thrust (each) | 52.9 kN |
| Thrust with afterburner (each) | 83.4 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Photos
Photo 1: S.C. Air National Guard (Maj. Matthew Booth) / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
