Aircraft & UAVs

F-15 Baz

Also known as
  • Baz
  • Israeli F-15 Eagle
  • F-15A Baz
  • F-15B Baz
  • F-15C Baz
  • F-15D Baz
  • McDonnell Douglas F-15 Baz

The F-15 Baz is the Israeli Air Force designation for F-15A/B/C/D Eagle aircraft adapted for air-superiority, long-range strike, and precision-attack missions. Open-source reporting traces Baz combat use from 1982 Lebanon War air battles through later Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran strike operations, showing how older Israeli F-15 airframes remained relevant as heavy payload carriers after repeated avionics and weapons upgrades.

F-15 Baz, Multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: IAF F-15C Baz Independence Day 2017

Role in Conflicts

1982 Lebanon War
Air Defense
Side
Israel

The War Zone credits Israeli F-15 Baz aircraft with 33 aerial victories during the 1982 Lebanon War, including the Bekaa Valley air battles against Syrian aircraft.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Multirole fighter
Service note
Entered Israeli service in the 1970s; still operational in the 2020s
Designer
McDonnell Douglas
Designed
1970s
Unit cost
Not publicly quoted for the Israeli Baz variant
Produced
1972-1997 for the F-15A/B/C/D family
Number built
1,198 F-15A/B/C/D aircraft produced

Specifications

Crew
1 or 2 depending on variant
Power plant
Two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100, -220, or -229 afterburning turbofan engines
Wingspan
42.8 ft / 13 m
Length
63.8 ft / 19.44 m
Speed
1,875 mph / Mach 2 class
Ceiling
65,000 ft / 19,812 m
Armament
Internal M61A1 20 mm cannon; air-to-air missiles; Israeli strike configurations can carry air-to-ground ordnance
Baz Designations

Baz covers Israel's F-15A/B/C/D Eagle fleet rather than the later F-15I Ra'am strike-fighter derivative.

DesignationConfigurationService context
F-15A BazSingle-seat early-production EagleOriginal Israeli Baz air-superiority aircraft, later retained through local strike and avionics updates.
F-15B BazTwo-seat EaglePart of the two-seat Baz force identified in later standoff-missile and strike-loadout context.
F-15C BazImproved single-seat EagleDocumented in Israeli service and in Operation Rising Lion imagery analysis of F-15A/C/D strike departures.
F-15D BazImproved two-seat EaglePart of the upgraded Israeli Baz fleet and the remaining two-seat Popeye-capable force described by FPRI.
Carried Electronic Warfare Payloads

The Baz family is documented with the Elta ELL-8222 ECM pod in typical air-campaign configurations.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Elta ELL-8222 ECM pod, Electronic countermeasures pod, Electronic WarfareElta ELL-8222 ECM podECM pod

The Aviationist said a typical F-15 air-campaign configuration includes the Elta ELL-8222 ECM pod.

Sources: F-15 Baz air-campaign configuration with ELL-8222 ECM pod

Carried Munitions

Open-source defense reporting documents Baz aircraft with JDAM-series weapons in Gaza and Iran strike contexts, and FPRI identifies F-15A/C/D Baz aircraft carrying SPICE 1000 glide bombs during Operation Rising Lion.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
GBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound JDAM bomb, MunitionsGBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound JDAM bomb

The Aviationist says an F-15 Baz takes off with three GBU-31(V)1 JDAM bombs for a strike mission.

Sources: F-15 Baz JDAM loadout

SPICE 1000/Mk 83 guided-bomb configuration, Air-delivered precision-guided bomb kit, MunitionsSPICE 1000/Mk 83 guided-bomb configuration1,000-pound class glide bomb

FPRI identifies F-15A/C/D Baz aircraft carrying two SPICE 1000 glide weapons each during Operation Rising Lion strike departures.

Sources: FPRI Rising Lion Air Offensive Part I

Combat Loadout Evolution

Baz combat reporting shows a shift from air-superiority work into heavy precision-strike carriage while the airframes remained in Israeli service.

PeriodDocumented useWhy it matters
1982 Lebanon WarAir-to-air combat against Syrian aircraft during the Lebanon campaign.Establishes the Baz's original air-superiority role.
2006 Lebanon WarStrikes against Hezbollah targets and missile-launch activity.Shows the older Eagle fleet in interdiction and strike tasking.
2023 Israel-Hamas WarJDAM carriage and strike missions against Gaza-based armed groups.Links the Baz to precision-guided bomb delivery in Gaza air operations.
2025 Israel-Iran ConflictJDAM-series carriage by Baz aircraft and SPICE 1000 carriage by F-15A/C/Ds.Documents continued use in long-range strike packages against Iran.
Timeline

F-15 Baz Key Events

  1. Baz enters Israeli service

    The Israeli Air Force fielded the F-15 Eagle as the Baz, giving Israel a long-range twin-engine fighter with later local air-to-ground adaptations.

    Sources: The Israeli Air Force, TWZ Israeli F-15 Baz Service History

  2. Air combat over Lebanon

    Baz aircraft were credited with dozens of aerial victories during the 1982 Lebanon War, including the Bekaa Valley air battles against Syrian aircraft.

    Sources: TWZ Israeli F-15 Baz Service History

  3. Strike role in Lebanon

    During the 2006 Lebanon War, Baz aircraft were reported striking Hezbollah targets and working against missile-launch activity.

    Sources: TWZ Israeli F-15 Baz Service History

  4. Gaza war JDAM sorties

    Open-source defense reporting showed an F-15 Baz taking off with GBU-31(V)1 JDAMs during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

    Sources: F-15 Baz JDAM loadout

  5. Operation Rising Lion strike loadouts

    FPRI identified Baz aircraft among Israeli fighter types seen with JDAM-series weapons and F-15A/C/D Baz aircraft carrying SPICE 1000 glide bombs for strikes against Iran.

    Sources: FPRI Rising Lion Air Offensive Part I

Media

F-15 Baz Images

F-15 Baz, Multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Israeli Air Force F-15D Baz 957 1
F-15 Baz, Multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: F-15A-hatzerim-2
Related Weapon Systems
F-15I Ra'am, Two-seat long-range strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-15I Ra'amTwo-seat long-range strike fighterThe F-15I Ra'am is Israel's F-15E-derived two-seat strike fighter, built in the United States with Israeli-specific avionics, communications, electronic-warfare, and helmet-sight equipment. Open-source records tie the 69th Squadron aircraft to long-range strike and interdiction roles from the 2006 Lebanon War through Gaza, Hezbollah, Red Sea/Yemen, and Iran operations, while Boeing and Israeli-reference sources describe the original 25-aircraft fleet, F100-PW-229 engines, APG-70 radar, and precision-weapon compatibility.
F-16C Barak, Single-seat multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-16C BarakSingle-seat multirole fighter aircraftThe F-16C Barak is Israel's locally designated single-seat F-16C, combining the U.S.-designed Fighting Falcon airframe with Israeli service modifications and weapons integration. Public sources identify the F-16C Barak 1 fleet as an Israeli Air Force branch delivered from 1986 and retired in 2024, with direct model-specific evidence covering a Python-5 UAV interception in the 2006 Lebanon War and strike sorties during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

Sources

The Israeli Air ForcePublisher: Israeli Air Force | Note: Supports Baz identity, Israeli service background, manufacturer context, and published dimensions for the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle ('Baz'). | Accessed: 2026-07-01F-15 Eagle Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports general F-15 Eagle mission, contractor, crew, engines, speed, range, ceiling, and armament specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01TWZ Israeli F-15 Baz Service HistoryPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports Baz service history, Israeli upgrade context, and direct use in the 1982 Lebanon War and 2006 Lebanon War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F-15 Baz JDAM loadoutPublisher: The Aviationist | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use and carrier-aircraft relationship context by documenting F-15 Baz strike missions and a loadout with three GBU-31(V)1 JDAM bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F-15 Baz air-campaign configuration with ELL-8222 ECM podPublisher: The Aviationist | Note: Supports the F-15 Baz carriage relationship by documenting a typical F-15 air-campaign configuration that includes the Elta ELL-8222 ECM pod. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Jerusalem Post Baz and Ra'am OperationsPublisher: The Jerusalem Post | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict direct use by describing Baz and Ra'am aircraft as used in Israeli long-range operations that included the strike operation that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. | Accessed: 2026-07-01FPRI Rising Lion Air Offensive Part IPublisher: Foreign Policy Research Institute | Note: Supports Operation Rising Lion direct use by identifying Baz aircraft among Israeli fighters carrying JDAM-series weapons and F-15A/C/D Baz aircraft with SPICE 1000 glide bombs; also supports Popeye and strike-loadout context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01IAF F-15C Baz Independence Day 2017Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image provenance and licensing page for the Israeli F-15C Baz image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Israeli Air Force F-15D Baz 957 1Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image provenance and licensing page for an Israeli F-15D Baz image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F-15A-hatzerim-2Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image provenance and licensing page for an Israeli F-15A Baz museum image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01