IDAF equipped with soviet aircraft

Syria is poor country not sure how many western jets they can buy

They always needed help when procuring weapons. Russia provided them on credit. If the KSA is a strong ally they could help Syria acquire a lot more jets etc.


will the EAF be able to use the AIM-7 properly ? esp given the poor state of IFF intense low level dogfights in middle east conflicts ?

A problem with F-4s is that, in the OTL, the EAF found them too difficult to maintain. Btw when offered the F-5 in the late '70s or so, Sadat dismissed it as a "tenth rate airplane." He wanted F-15s and F-16s. So I don't think Egypt would've had F-5s in its inventory.
 
I expect the Israelis would work even harder on developing their own systems for avionics than OTL - even with US aircraft the Israelis tend to use a fair chunk of local avionics/systems. There would also be various airframe upgrades - IMHO the Israeli versions of those aircraft would probably be better than the same ones in Soviet service. As noted, training, doctrine, etc were light years ahead in the IAF, and unlike most of the Arab air forces, maintenance was done by Israelis, not foreign contractors. I will accept that the Israelis mght not do quite as well as OTL, although they might, but I doubt this would make a substantial difference.
 
There would also be various airframe upgrades - IMHO the Israeli versions of those aircraft would probably be better than the same ones in Soviet service.

I'm not sure the Israelis would've succeeded in upgrading Soviet jets, or even accepted some in the first place. The MIG-23M, for example, not only needed better radar and missiles. At least one Israeli characterized those in SAF service, in '82, as "so clumsy and hard to maneuver" they were no improvement over the MIG-21, "even at step backwards."
And btw, with regard to upgrading radar and missiles, the US tried to do that with EAF MIG-21s around the late '70s, "but found it too expensive." Dunno if the Israelis could've afforded it.


As noted, training, doctrine, etc were light years ahead in the IAF, and unlike most of the Arab air forces, maintenance was done by Israelis, not foreign contractors.

I think Egypt, Iraq and Syria generally maintained their own jets, albeit not very efficiently.


I will accept that the Israelis mght not do quite as well as OTL, although they might, but I doubt this would make a substantial difference.

One problem was that c 1980 the Soviets (with the possible exception of the MIG-25) didn't seem to have any good jets available for export. The MIG-29 was OK but came later.
 
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MAYbe as a stopgap measure in 1980 until F-16 becomes available , the F-5e might have been loaned

I doubt they'd take it. If the US couldn't provide enough F-15s and F-16s before a showdown in 1980, the Egyptians probably would've turned to the French and ordered a bunch of F-1s. In fact they ordered 200 in the OTL but the deal fell through IIRC when KSA withdrew support because of Sadat's trip to Jerusalem. But this wouldn't be a problem in an alternate scenario where hostilities continue.
 
the most modern short range soviet AAM in 1980 was R-60M
Israelis can develop their own like the Shafrir I and II but w/o western assistance can they develop more modern AAM ?

did the IDAF make its own jammers ? or buy western ones off the shelf

Israelis were set to design their own gear well before 1980s, due to being on the receiving end of Western (UK, France) almost-embargo because Arab/Islamic countries manage to pressure the West. Hence their missiles, SMGs, rifles, MGs, elctronics of all shapes and tasks, Merkava, different upgrade programes to the bought or captured systems, up to the nuclear programe.
Shafrir II is much more potent short-range missile than anything Soviets had before the R-73.
 
I rather suspect you'd be seeing far more Kfirs being produced but probably with Soviet engines. The EW kit on all aircraft, home-built or imported would be upgraded to a common standard.

As an alternative to the Kfir, you might even see an Israeli Mig-21-bis/F-7M Airguard/FTC-2000 type enter IDF service mid-decade.
 

destiple

Banned
One problem was that c 1980 the Soviets (with the possible exception of the MIG-25) didn't seem to have any good jets available for export. The MIG-29 was OK but came later.
true , even the mig-23ML was not exported at that time
 
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