Operation Rimon 20
Encyclopedia
Rimon 20 was the code name of a planned aerial battle which pitted the Israeli Air Force
against Soviet fighter pilots stationed in Egypt
during the War of Attrition
. In the engagement, which took place on July 30, 1970, five Soviet flown MiG-21s were downed by Israeli F-4 Phantoms and Mirage IIIs. Contributing to the conclusion of a ceasefire, it was one of the final engagements of the War of Attrition.
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Egypt had launched the War of Attrition
in the hope of wearing down Israel's hold on territories captured during the 1967 Six Day War. By the start of 1970, however, the Israeli Air Force had established complete aerial superiority over the front lines along the Suez Canal
, and the launching of Operation Priha
in January laid bare Egypt's inability to counter Israeli supremacy not only along the canal but in the Egyptian heartland as well.
President Nasser of Egypt therefore turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. Nasser visited Moscow
on January 24–25, 1970, and persuaded his hosts to expand Soviet assistance. An entire Soviet air defence (Voyska PVO) division, including the 135th MiG-21MF air regiment and the latest versions of the SA-2 and SA-3 SAM batteries
, therefore deployed to Egypt. These were initially tasked with the defence of Cairo
, Alexandria
and the Aswan Dam
alone, freeing Egyptian air defence assets to engage the IAF over the canal zone. Their presence and active participation in the defence of Egypt was not made public and denied long afterwards, yet picked up by Israeli intelligence not long after their arrival.
The Israeli government, fearful of confronting a superpower and the possible consequences, directed the IAF to keep its distance from the Soviet forces. Operation Priha was soon curtailed, and as the Soviets made their presence felt, terminated outright. By the end of April 1970 Israeli aircraft were no longer flying into Egypt, in the hope that this would satisfy the Soviets. The Soviets and Egyptians, however, now began rolling their combined air defence array towards the canal zone, threatening to deprive Israel of its aerial superiority. The Israeli air force targeted both the Egyptian SAM batteries and ancillary infrastructure, but by the end of June two F-4 Phantoms had fallen to SAMs and two more in July. Moreover, Soviet fighters were also expanding their sphere of operations and it was becoming apparent that the Soviets, bolstered by their success, were actively seeking an engagement. On July 25 Soviet MiG-21s intercepted Israeli A-4 Skyhawk
s on a ground attack mission and chased them into Israeli-controlled Sinai. One Skyhawk was hit by an AA-2 Atoll missile and forced to land at Rephidim
.
Haim Bar-Lev, took his case to the Israeli cabinet on July 25. Once the approval of Golda Meir
's government had been received, the IAF then set about organizing a planned team ambush. Such ambushes had been carried out before, under the code name "Rimon" (Pomegranate), and an existing plan was now brought up to date and designated "Rimon 20". Initially planned for July 29, it was later pushed back to July 30.
. These were to be carried out in an attack profile usually adopted by IAF Skyhawks, giving the impression of yet another day of battle on the Suez Canal front. Four 119 Squadron
Dassault Mirages, meanwhile, were to penetrate Egyptian airspace in the far south near Hurghada
, imitating a routine reconnaissance flight. Once Soviet MiGs were scrambled to intercept the Mirages, these were to draw the MiGs westward, at which point the Phantoms and four 117 Squadron
Mirages on station over the Sinai were to close in on the MiGs from the east, springing the trap. A further four 101 Squadron Mirages were to be on immediate alert at Rephidim.
Leaving nothing to chance, Motti Hod decided to assemble the best possible squad for the mission. Airmen selection rested with the Squadron commanders and each subsequently selected himself. Amos Amir, commanding 119 Squadron and a 5-kills ace at the time, selected Asher Snir (11 kills), Avraham Salmon (6) and Avi Gilad (2) to accompany him. Uri Aven-Nir, commanding 117 Squadron and already credited with 3 kills, was to be accompanied by Ithamar Neuner (4), Yehuda Koren (7) and Kobi Richter (7). Iftach Spector
, an 8-kills ace leading 101 Squadron, was accompanied by Michael Tzuk (2), Israel Barahav (5) and a fourth pilot. The 69 Squadron Phantoms was led by Avihu Bin-Nun, who had shot down 2 aircraft as a Mirage pilot, with navigator Shaul Levi. Also present were Aviam Sela (1) with Reuven Reshef, Ehud Hankin (3, navigator unknown) and Uri Gil
(1) with Israel Parnas. To face the Soviets, with little combat experience and no kills to their name, the IAF was preparing to send up some of its most experienced pilots, with a combined score of 67 aerial kills.
Phantoms, 110 Squadron
Vautours
, 113 Squadron Ouragans
and 115
, 102, and 116 Squadron
Skyhawks took part in the strikes, encountering no aerial opposition. Once all aircraft had returned to base, Rimon 20 could commence.
It began at 14:00 (Israel time, 15:00 in Egypt) with Bin-Nun, Sela, Hankin and Gil striking the Egyptian radar post at Sohana. Meanwhile, Amos Amir's four 119 Squadron Mirages were crossing the Gulf of Suez
at low altitude, entering Egyptian airspace before turning north and ascending to 35,000 feet. Flying in tight formation to appear as a single or double target on a routine reconnaissance flight, the four Mirages were each armed with a pair of AIM-9D Sidewinders. It took 11 minutes but the Soviets eventually fell for the ruse and scrambled their fighters to intercept the Israeli aircraft. First off the ground was a MiG-21 quartet from Kom Ashwin led by captain Kamenev, followed shortly later by two four-ship formations from Beni-Suef led by captains Yurchenko and Saranin. A MiG from the latter formation soon aborted the mission after encountering engine problems. 12 more MiGs were later launched from Kom Ashwin and al-Qutamiya. Two Soviet quartets were vectored to intercept the intruding "reconnaissance" flight, while another two were directed at what were thought to be Skyhawks on a ground attack mission.
As the first MiGs were 20 km out and approaching from the west, Amos Amir led his four aircraft in a 270° climbing turn that brought them on a westerly heading. They had, however, turned too tightly. Instead of drawing the MiGs westward, they were now facing them head-on. As the Mirages were closing in on the MiGs, the four Phantoms were approaching the area at low altitude and at a line abreast. The original plan had called for the Phantoms to zip in from below, behind and beneath the MiG-21s pursuing the Mirages, and pick them off with their radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow
s. This was now no longer possible and as the Phantoms entered the fray, a close-quarters dogfight commenced.
Asher Snir had also separated from his wingman to chase MiGs. Finding himself in the midst of a number of MiGs and Phantoms, he opted to chase one of the Soviet fighters. As the MiG was pulling away from the Mirage, Snir let off a AIM-9D which struck the MiG-21's underbelly. Captain Yevgeny Yakovlev managed to bail out of the stricken aircraft, yet died in the descent. Aviam Sela witnessed the downing:
Snir, however, in the heat of pursuit and without the protection of a wingman, had failed to spot a MiG-21 closing in on his tail. Captain Vladimir Ivlev fired an AA-2 Atoll at the Mirage, which exploded in the exhaust from the Atar engine
, shredding the nozzle and tail of Snir's aircraft. Snir disengaged and nursed his damaged aircraft to a safe landing in Rephidim. Ivlev, short on fuel, let off an unsuccessful cannon burst at one of the Phantoms before heading back to al-Qutamiya.
With the battle underway, Israeli reinforcements were ordered into the fight. The four 117 Squadron Mirages which had been lurking at low altitude over the Sinai, beyond the reach of Egyptian and Soviet radar, were pulling up and proceeding westward when Ithamar Neuner's jet suffered an engine malfunction and had to abort the mission. Wary of leaving Neuner alone in hostile territory, Aven-Nir escorted his wingman back to Rephidim. A 101 Squadron pair, Yiftah Spector and Michael Tzuk, were scrambled to replace them. Spector, however, soon lost sight of Tzuk and ordered him to return to base, proceeding into the battle by himself. The remaining 117 pair, Koren and Richter, were also about to engage the Soviet fighters.
Sela's AIM-9 had downed Captain Georgy Syrkin, who successfully bailed out of his aircraft.
Two minutes had passed by now and both Mirages and MiG-21s were low on fuel and starting to depart the combat zone. Avihu Bin-Nun spotted one such MiG flying at 1,000-2,000 feet with 117 Squadron's Koren and Richter on his tail. Richter had launched a Shafrir 2
missile at the MiG, yet the distance was too great and the missile fell harmlessly to the ground. Koren also attempted a missile launch, only to discover that he had jettisoned his missiles along with his fuel tanks when he entered the battle. Koren was closing into cannon range when an AIM-7 Sparrow passed him by. It struck its target, disintegrating it to bits and killing pilot Kamenev. The missile had been launched by Avihu Bin-Nun and Shaul Levi:
The engagement had lasted a little less than three minutes. As the Soviets could yet scramble more aircraft to the scene, Motti Hod gave the order for all remaining aircraft to disengage and withdraw. While the Mirages headed to Rephidim to refuel prior to their return to their home bases in Israel proper, the 69 Squadron Phantoms made their way directly to Ramat David
.
In 1972 the Egyptian press disclosed that 5 Soviet aircraft had in fact been lost on July 30, 1970. This was later also confirmed by President Sadat
of Egypt during his visit to Israel prior to the signing of the Camp David Accords
.
The poor showing of the Soviet pilots prompted a visit by Marshal of Aviation Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov
to investigate the air battle. In addition, another regiment of MiG-21s and a squadron of Su-15 all-weather interceptors were sent to Egypt to bolster defences. The Egyptians themselves reacted with ill-concealed delight at the outcome of the engagement. They had previously suffered intense criticism of their own performance and boasts of superior Soviet skills, when in fact the Soviets had fallen for tactics the Egyptians were already familiar with.
While a morale boosting achievement, Rimon 20 did not change the course of the war. Another IAF F-4 Phantom was lost to an SA-3 on August 3 and another damaged. The new level of escalation, however, proved too ominous for all involved. Neither Israel nor Egypt could secure a clear advantage, yet both could claim military achievements. American pressure to end a conflict with the potential to draw in both the United States
and the USSR soon bore fruit. On August 7, 1970, a ceasefire agreement came into effect, ending the War of Attrition.
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Squadron
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Serial Number
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|
|-
| Amos Amir
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron CO.
|-
| Asher Snir
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
| 6x
| Squadron junior deputy CO. 1 kill, damaged by Ivlev.
|-
| Avraham Shalmon
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
| 78
| Squadron senior deputy CO. 1.5 kills.
|-
| Avi Gilad
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Uri Aven-Nir
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron CO. Aborted before battle, Neuner escort.
|-
| Ithamar Neuner
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Engine problem, aborted before battle.
|-
| Yehuda Koren
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Yaacov (Kobi) Richter
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Iftach Spector
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
| 52
| Squadron CO. Rephidim standby, scrambled to replace Aven-Nir and Neuner. 0.5 kill.
|-
| Michael Tsuk
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron junior deputy CO. Rephidim standby, scrambled to replace Aven-Nir and Neuner, aborted before battle.
|-
| Israel Barahav
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Rephidim standby, did not participate.
|-
|
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Rephidim standby, did not participate.
|-
| Avihu Bin-Nun/Shaul Levi
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
| 105
| Squadron CO. 1 kill.
|-
| Aviam Sela/Reuven Reshef (Fischer)
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
| 183
| Squadron deputy CO. 1 kill.
|-
| Ehud Hankin/
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
|
|
|-
| Uri Gil
/Israel Parnas
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
|
|
|-
|colspan="5"|sources
|}
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|Base
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|
|-
| Nikolai Yurchenko
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Squadron CO, KIA.
|-
| Makara
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Yevgeny Yakovlev
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected, KIA.
|-
| Georgy Syrkin
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected.
|-
| Kamenev
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
| KIA.
|-
|
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Vladimir Zhuravlev
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected (?), KIA.
|-
| Saranin
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| F. Vasiliev
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Mazur
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Suprun
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Vladimir Ivlev
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
| Damaged Snir Mirage.
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|colspan="4"|Two more quartets, one from Kom Ashwin and another from Kom Ashwin or al-Qutamiya, were also scrambled.
|}
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
against Soviet fighter pilots stationed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
during the War of Attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
. In the engagement, which took place on July 30, 1970, five Soviet flown MiG-21s were downed by Israeli F-4 Phantoms and Mirage IIIs. Contributing to the conclusion of a ceasefire, it was one of the final engagements of the War of Attrition.
Soviet intervention
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
in the hope of wearing down Israel's hold on territories captured during the 1967 Six Day War. By the start of 1970, however, the Israeli Air Force had established complete aerial superiority over the front lines along the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, and the launching of Operation Priha
Operation Priha
The Priha Operations were a series of strikes undertaken by the Israeli Air Force during the War of Attrition. Taking place between January and April 1970, the operations consisted of 118 sorties against targets in the Egyptian heartland...
in January laid bare Egypt's inability to counter Israeli supremacy not only along the canal but in the Egyptian heartland as well.
President Nasser of Egypt therefore turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. Nasser visited Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on January 24–25, 1970, and persuaded his hosts to expand Soviet assistance. An entire Soviet air defence (Voyska PVO) division, including the 135th MiG-21MF air regiment and the latest versions of the SA-2 and SA-3 SAM batteries
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
, therefore deployed to Egypt. These were initially tasked with the defence of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and the Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
alone, freeing Egyptian air defence assets to engage the IAF over the canal zone. Their presence and active participation in the defence of Egypt was not made public and denied long afterwards, yet picked up by Israeli intelligence not long after their arrival.
The Israeli government, fearful of confronting a superpower and the possible consequences, directed the IAF to keep its distance from the Soviet forces. Operation Priha was soon curtailed, and as the Soviets made their presence felt, terminated outright. By the end of April 1970 Israeli aircraft were no longer flying into Egypt, in the hope that this would satisfy the Soviets. The Soviets and Egyptians, however, now began rolling their combined air defence array towards the canal zone, threatening to deprive Israel of its aerial superiority. The Israeli air force targeted both the Egyptian SAM batteries and ancillary infrastructure, but by the end of June two F-4 Phantoms had fallen to SAMs and two more in July. Moreover, Soviet fighters were also expanding their sphere of operations and it was becoming apparent that the Soviets, bolstered by their success, were actively seeking an engagement. On July 25 Soviet MiG-21s intercepted Israeli A-4 Skyhawk
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
s on a ground attack mission and chased them into Israeli-controlled Sinai. One Skyhawk was hit by an AA-2 Atoll missile and forced to land at Rephidim
Bir Gifgafa Airfield
Bir Gifgafa is an airfield in the Sinai, 90 km east of the Suez Canal. During the 1960s and 1970s it played a significant role in Arab-Israeli wars, at different times serving both Egypt and Israel....
.
Israeli change of heart
Both Israeli government and air force had by now realised that the policy of restraint versus the Soviets had failed. For the first time, Israel's hard-won aerial supremacy was under serious threat, not only on the west bank of the Suez Canal, but over Israeli-controlled territory as well. The Israeli Air Force therefore proposed to take the Soviets head-on, hoping to demonstrate that although it possessed no operational answer to the extensive air defence array forming on the west bank of the Suez Canal, it was nevertheless superior in the air. The opportunity to punish the Soviets would also serve to boost flagging morale following the loss of several aircraft and airmen in the previous few months, and would also prove valuable in upcoming ceasefire negotiations. IAF Chief of Staff Mordechai (Motti) Hod, backed by IDF Chief of the General StaffRamatkal
The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. At any given time, the Chief of Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, Rav Aluf , which is usually...
Haim Bar-Lev, took his case to the Israeli cabinet on July 25. Once the approval of Golda Meir
Golda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
's government had been received, the IAF then set about organizing a planned team ambush. Such ambushes had been carried out before, under the code name "Rimon" (Pomegranate), and an existing plan was now brought up to date and designated "Rimon 20". Initially planned for July 29, it was later pushed back to July 30.
Prelude
"Rimon 20" was to begin with an attack by IAF 69 Squadron F-4E Phantom IIs on an Egyptian radar station southeast of the city of SuezSuez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
. These were to be carried out in an attack profile usually adopted by IAF Skyhawks, giving the impression of yet another day of battle on the Suez Canal front. Four 119 Squadron
119 Squadron (Israel)
The 119 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Bat Squadron, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-References:...
Dassault Mirages, meanwhile, were to penetrate Egyptian airspace in the far south near Hurghada
Hurghada
Hurghada is a city in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt. It is a main tourist center and second largest city in Egypt located on the Red Sea coast.- Overview :...
, imitating a routine reconnaissance flight. Once Soviet MiGs were scrambled to intercept the Mirages, these were to draw the MiGs westward, at which point the Phantoms and four 117 Squadron
117 Squadron (Israel)
The 117 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the First Jet Squadron, is an F-16C fighter squadron based at Ramat David Airbase. The squadron operated Israel's first jet aircraft, the Gloster Meteor, flying the T7, F8 and FR9 variants....
Mirages on station over the Sinai were to close in on the MiGs from the east, springing the trap. A further four 101 Squadron Mirages were to be on immediate alert at Rephidim.
Leaving nothing to chance, Motti Hod decided to assemble the best possible squad for the mission. Airmen selection rested with the Squadron commanders and each subsequently selected himself. Amos Amir, commanding 119 Squadron and a 5-kills ace at the time, selected Asher Snir (11 kills), Avraham Salmon (6) and Avi Gilad (2) to accompany him. Uri Aven-Nir, commanding 117 Squadron and already credited with 3 kills, was to be accompanied by Ithamar Neuner (4), Yehuda Koren (7) and Kobi Richter (7). Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector is a retired Israeli Brigadier General, a former fighter pilot and commander of the airbases at Tel Nof and Ramat David. He serves on the Israel Advisory Council of Israel Policy Forum.- Biography :...
, an 8-kills ace leading 101 Squadron, was accompanied by Michael Tzuk (2), Israel Barahav (5) and a fourth pilot. The 69 Squadron Phantoms was led by Avihu Bin-Nun, who had shot down 2 aircraft as a Mirage pilot, with navigator Shaul Levi. Also present were Aviam Sela (1) with Reuven Reshef, Ehud Hankin (3, navigator unknown) and Uri Gil
Uri Gil
Uri Gil, born April 9, 1943, is a retired Brigadier General in the Israeli Air Force. In 2007, he was listed as the most senior combat pilot in history in the Guinness World Records.-Biography:...
(1) with Israel Parnas. To face the Soviets, with little combat experience and no kills to their name, the IAF was preparing to send up some of its most experienced pilots, with a combined score of 67 aerial kills.
Battle
Thursday, July 30, 1970, began as yet another day in the ongoing War of Attrition with the IAF striking Egyptian positions along the Suez Canal. 69 and 201 Squadron201 Squadron (Israel)
The 201 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as The One, is an F-16I fighter squadron based at Ramon Airbase.-See also:*List of Israeli Air Force aircraft squadrons*Operation Priha*Operation Doogman 5...
Phantoms, 110 Squadron
110 Squadron (Israel)
The 110 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the Knights of The North Squadron, is an F-16C fighter squadron based at Ramat David Airbase.-References:...
Vautours
Sud Aviation Vautour
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...
, 113 Squadron Ouragans
Dassault Ouragan
The Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production, playing a key role in resurgence of the French aviation industry after World War II. The Ouragan was operated by France, Israel, India and El Salvador...
and 115
115 Squadron (Israel)
115 Squadron, also known as the Flying Dragon or Red Squadron, is the Israeli Air Force's aggressor squadron. Based at Ovda, it is the sole IAF squadron to operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and also ground-based assets.-Formation:...
, 102, and 116 Squadron
116 Squadron (Israel)
116 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the The Defenders of the South Squadron , is an F-16A/B fighter squadron based at Nevatim Airbase.-References:...
Skyhawks took part in the strikes, encountering no aerial opposition. Once all aircraft had returned to base, Rimon 20 could commence.
It began at 14:00 (Israel time, 15:00 in Egypt) with Bin-Nun, Sela, Hankin and Gil striking the Egyptian radar post at Sohana. Meanwhile, Amos Amir's four 119 Squadron Mirages were crossing the Gulf of Suez
Gulf of Suez
The northern end of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula, creating the Gulf of Suez in the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east. The Gulf of Suez is formed within a relatively young, but now inactive rift basin, the Gulf of Suez Rift, dating back about 28 million years...
at low altitude, entering Egyptian airspace before turning north and ascending to 35,000 feet. Flying in tight formation to appear as a single or double target on a routine reconnaissance flight, the four Mirages were each armed with a pair of AIM-9D Sidewinders. It took 11 minutes but the Soviets eventually fell for the ruse and scrambled their fighters to intercept the Israeli aircraft. First off the ground was a MiG-21 quartet from Kom Ashwin led by captain Kamenev, followed shortly later by two four-ship formations from Beni-Suef led by captains Yurchenko and Saranin. A MiG from the latter formation soon aborted the mission after encountering engine problems. 12 more MiGs were later launched from Kom Ashwin and al-Qutamiya. Two Soviet quartets were vectored to intercept the intruding "reconnaissance" flight, while another two were directed at what were thought to be Skyhawks on a ground attack mission.
As the first MiGs were 20 km out and approaching from the west, Amos Amir led his four aircraft in a 270° climbing turn that brought them on a westerly heading. They had, however, turned too tightly. Instead of drawing the MiGs westward, they were now facing them head-on. As the Mirages were closing in on the MiGs, the four Phantoms were approaching the area at low altitude and at a line abreast. The original plan had called for the Phantoms to zip in from below, behind and beneath the MiG-21s pursuing the Mirages, and pick them off with their radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow
AIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
s. This was now no longer possible and as the Phantoms entered the fray, a close-quarters dogfight commenced.
The Mirages engage
While the Phantoms maintained mutually protective pairs, the less disciplined Mirage pilots broke apart to individually engage their opponents. Avraham Shalmon and Avi Gilad separated as the battle began and Shalmon was soon the first to score a kill. Spotting two MiGs on the tail of a pair of Phantoms, he warned his comrades of the approaching danger before leveling off behind the rear MiG and launching an AIM-9D. The MiG exploded, killing pilot Nikolai Yurchenko.Asher Snir had also separated from his wingman to chase MiGs. Finding himself in the midst of a number of MiGs and Phantoms, he opted to chase one of the Soviet fighters. As the MiG was pulling away from the Mirage, Snir let off a AIM-9D which struck the MiG-21's underbelly. Captain Yevgeny Yakovlev managed to bail out of the stricken aircraft, yet died in the descent. Aviam Sela witnessed the downing:
Snir, however, in the heat of pursuit and without the protection of a wingman, had failed to spot a MiG-21 closing in on his tail. Captain Vladimir Ivlev fired an AA-2 Atoll at the Mirage, which exploded in the exhaust from the Atar engine
SNECMA Atar
The SNECMA Atar is a French axial-flow turbojet engine built by Snecma. It was derived from the German World War II BMW 003 design, but extensively developed though a progression of more powerful models. The name is derived from its original design group, Atelier Technique Aéronautique Rickenbach...
, shredding the nozzle and tail of Snir's aircraft. Snir disengaged and nursed his damaged aircraft to a safe landing in Rephidim. Ivlev, short on fuel, let off an unsuccessful cannon burst at one of the Phantoms before heading back to al-Qutamiya.
With the battle underway, Israeli reinforcements were ordered into the fight. The four 117 Squadron Mirages which had been lurking at low altitude over the Sinai, beyond the reach of Egyptian and Soviet radar, were pulling up and proceeding westward when Ithamar Neuner's jet suffered an engine malfunction and had to abort the mission. Wary of leaving Neuner alone in hostile territory, Aven-Nir escorted his wingman back to Rephidim. A 101 Squadron pair, Yiftah Spector and Michael Tzuk, were scrambled to replace them. Spector, however, soon lost sight of Tzuk and ordered him to return to base, proceeding into the battle by himself. The remaining 117 pair, Koren and Richter, were also about to engage the Soviet fighters.
Phantom kills
The Phantoms crews, meanwhile, were finding out that flying in pairs was indeed safer, yet not as conducive towards scoring aerial kills since it limited individual pilot freedom of action. Their Soviet adversaries did not seem skilled enough to pose a serious threat and Bin-Nun and Sela decided to part ways and go after their own quarries. Sela set his sights on one of the MiGs yet failed to get into position to fire his missiles. When the MiG performed a tight turn and came face to face with the Phantom, Sela himself performed a tight Immelman turn which placed him above and behind the MiG:Sela's AIM-9 had downed Captain Georgy Syrkin, who successfully bailed out of his aircraft.
Two minutes had passed by now and both Mirages and MiG-21s were low on fuel and starting to depart the combat zone. Avihu Bin-Nun spotted one such MiG flying at 1,000-2,000 feet with 117 Squadron's Koren and Richter on his tail. Richter had launched a Shafrir 2
Shafrir
The Rafael Shafrir 1 and Shafrir 2 are short-range air-to-air missiles developed by the Israeli arms manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, formerly RAFAEL Armament Development Authority....
missile at the MiG, yet the distance was too great and the missile fell harmlessly to the ground. Koren also attempted a missile launch, only to discover that he had jettisoned his missiles along with his fuel tanks when he entered the battle. Koren was closing into cannon range when an AIM-7 Sparrow passed him by. It struck its target, disintegrating it to bits and killing pilot Kamenev. The missile had been launched by Avihu Bin-Nun and Shaul Levi:
Shared kill
Another MiG-21 trying to make its way away from the battle zone was being chased by Avraham Shalmon. Having spotted Shalmon on his tail, Vladimir Zhuravlev was maneuvering hard to deny Shalmon the opportunity to shoot him down. Shalmon had already fired a missile that failed to cause any damage, when Spector's 101 Squadron Mirage joined the fight and fired another pair at the MiG. Although at least one struck home, these too failed to bring the aircraft down, and it continued to fly away to the northwest. Shalmon continued to give chase to the vicinity of Helwan, where he managed to close the distance to the MiG and emptied his cannon into the aircraft. With both his ammunition and fuel exhausted, he departed the scene. Only years later (see below) was it revealed that Zhuravlev's aircraft had in fact crashed and its pilot killed. Spector and Shalmon were both credited with a shared kill, the fifth and last of the battle.The engagement had lasted a little less than three minutes. As the Soviets could yet scramble more aircraft to the scene, Motti Hod gave the order for all remaining aircraft to disengage and withdraw. While the Mirages headed to Rephidim to refuel prior to their return to their home bases in Israel proper, the 69 Squadron Phantoms made their way directly to Ramat David
Ramat David Airbase
Ramat David Israeli Air Force Base is one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force, located southeast of Haifa, close to kibbutz Ramat David and Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley...
.
Aftermath
First details of the encounter appeared in the international press within hours of the event. Israel had claimed the downing of 4 Egyptian aircraft, not disclosing the true identity of the participants, while Egypt denied losing any aircraft. More details, however, soon became available. The true identity of the MiG pilots was reported within days, and confirmed by Prime Minister Meir in late October 1970 when discussing the Soviet presence in Egypt:In 1972 the Egyptian press disclosed that 5 Soviet aircraft had in fact been lost on July 30, 1970. This was later also confirmed by President Sadat
Sadat
- See also :* Anwar Sadat, former President of Egypt* Sadat * Saadat* Sadat. Term also used for the descendents of Holy Prophet Muhammad through Imam Ali and Bibi Fatima progeny....
of Egypt during his visit to Israel prior to the signing of the Camp David Accords
Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David. The two framework agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by United States...
.
The poor showing of the Soviet pilots prompted a visit by Marshal of Aviation Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov
Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov
Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov was Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Air Forces between 1969 and 1984, Chief Marshal of Aviation since 1972, twice Hero of Soviet Union , Honored Pilot of USSR ....
to investigate the air battle. In addition, another regiment of MiG-21s and a squadron of Su-15 all-weather interceptors were sent to Egypt to bolster defences. The Egyptians themselves reacted with ill-concealed delight at the outcome of the engagement. They had previously suffered intense criticism of their own performance and boasts of superior Soviet skills, when in fact the Soviets had fallen for tactics the Egyptians were already familiar with.
While a morale boosting achievement, Rimon 20 did not change the course of the war. Another IAF F-4 Phantom was lost to an SA-3 on August 3 and another damaged. The new level of escalation, however, proved too ominous for all involved. Neither Israel nor Egypt could secure a clear advantage, yet both could claim military achievements. American pressure to end a conflict with the potential to draw in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the USSR soon bore fruit. On August 7, 1970, a ceasefire agreement came into effect, ending the War of Attrition.
Israeli
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Name! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Squadron
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|Serial Number
! style="text-align: left; background: #007FFF;"|
|-
| Amos Amir
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron CO.
|-
| Asher Snir
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
| 6x
| Squadron junior deputy CO. 1 kill, damaged by Ivlev.
|-
| Avraham Shalmon
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
| 78
| Squadron senior deputy CO. 1.5 kills.
|-
| Avi Gilad
| 119
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Uri Aven-Nir
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron CO. Aborted before battle, Neuner escort.
|-
| Ithamar Neuner
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Engine problem, aborted before battle.
|-
| Yehuda Koren
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Yaacov (Kobi) Richter
| 117
| Mirage IIIC
|
|
|-
| Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector
Iftach Spector is a retired Israeli Brigadier General, a former fighter pilot and commander of the airbases at Tel Nof and Ramat David. He serves on the Israel Advisory Council of Israel Policy Forum.- Biography :...
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
| 52
| Squadron CO. Rephidim standby, scrambled to replace Aven-Nir and Neuner. 0.5 kill.
|-
| Michael Tsuk
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Squadron junior deputy CO. Rephidim standby, scrambled to replace Aven-Nir and Neuner, aborted before battle.
|-
| Israel Barahav
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Rephidim standby, did not participate.
|-
|
| 101
| Mirage IIIC
|
| Rephidim standby, did not participate.
|-
| Avihu Bin-Nun/Shaul Levi
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
| 105
| Squadron CO. 1 kill.
|-
| Aviam Sela/Reuven Reshef (Fischer)
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
| 183
| Squadron deputy CO. 1 kill.
|-
| Ehud Hankin/
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
|
|
|-
| Uri Gil
Uri Gil
Uri Gil, born April 9, 1943, is a retired Brigadier General in the Israeli Air Force. In 2007, he was listed as the most senior combat pilot in history in the Guinness World Records.-Biography:...
/Israel Parnas
| 69
| F-4E Phantom II
|
|
|-
|colspan="5"|sources
|}
Soviet
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|Name! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|Base
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #E62020;"|
|-
| Nikolai Yurchenko
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Squadron CO, KIA.
|-
| Makara
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Yevgeny Yakovlev
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected, KIA.
|-
| Georgy Syrkin
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected.
|-
| Kamenev
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
| KIA.
|-
|
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Vladimir Zhuravlev
| Kom Ashwin
| MiG-21MF
| Ejected (?), KIA.
|-
| Saranin
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| F. Vasiliev
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Mazur
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Suprun
| Beni Suef
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
| Vladimir Ivlev
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
| Damaged Snir Mirage.
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|
| al-Qutamiya
| MiG-21MF
|
|-
|colspan="4"|Two more quartets, one from Kom Ashwin and another from Kom Ashwin or al-Qutamiya, were also scrambled.
|}