Israel’s “Lion Club” Jets Roar Over Sri Lanka Again; SLAF Flies Upgraded Kfir C.12 Fighters After Major Overhaul

The Israel-origin Kfir fighter jet, which debuted in the Israel Air Force about 50 years ago, has flown over Sri Lanka after extensive upgrades meant to keep the aircraft in the skies well into the future.

The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) conducted the first flight of an upgraded Kfir C.12 fighter aircraft after a comprehensive modernization completed in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), as the service announced in an official press statement.

Notably, Sri Lanka acquired the Kfirs, mostly C.2 and some C.7 variants, in the mid-1990s, which have now been modernized to the C.12 standard. The Kfirs are known as the “Lion Club” within the SLAF and are operated by the 10th Fighter Squadron based at the SLAF Base Katunayake.

The aircraft was, in fact, extensively used during the war with the LTTE, from the late 1990s to the final phase of the war. It conducted bombing missions, struck LTTE strongholds, artillery positions, ammunition and fuel depots, troop concentrations, reinforcements, and maritime assets. The aircraft’s precision and payload helped support ground advances and reduce casualties, according to the SLAF’s own account.

Incidentally, Sri Lanka lost at least two Kfirs on the ground in an LTTE attack during the war, while others were lost in non-combat incidents over the years. The service currently operates only five of these archaic jets and is one of the last remaining operators of the aircraft, alongside Colombia.

To increase the service life and operational capabilities of the remaining Kfirs, Sri Lanka signed a $50 million deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in 2021. The goal was to upgrade the remaining aircraft to the C12 (Block 60) standard.

🇱🇰 The Lion Cub takes flight once again!

The SLAF successfully conducted the first test flight of its upgraded Kfir C12 fighter aircraft. Featuring advanced avionics and enhanced multirole capabilities, the upgraded Kfir strengthens Sri Lanka’s air defence and future readiness. pic.twitter.com/UWLcZF3QXC

— Sri Lanka Air Force (@airforcelk) June 11, 2026

The comprehensive modernization of the jet includes upgrades to avionics and mission systems centered on a glass cockpit—providing this aging aircraft with improved situational awareness, enhanced communication and navigation capabilities, precision-guided weapons, mission planning, and debriefing capabilities. 

“These improvements are designed to reduce pilot workload, increase mission effectiveness, and provide a foundation of future operational growth,” according to the SLAF. Furthermore, Kfir C12 will provide the service with improved air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, turning the fleet into a flexible multirole combat platform capable of carrying out a wider range of missions more effectively in response to changing operational needs, as previously noted in a detailed EurAsian Times report.

Notably, upgraded aircraft flew after a lengthy period of ground validation and system integration—moving from ground testing to airborne evaluation. The SLAF described the first flight as a “significant milestone in the ongoing modernization of the nation’s fighter fleet” in its press statement. With the first flight of the first jet now done, these upgrades will be implemented fleet-wide.

Responding to the milestone, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Chairman Boaz Levy reportedly said, “We reinforced the aircraft’s structure and replaced outdated components that are no longer available, since the aircraft was originally developed in the 1960s. The upgraded aircraft now features a new mission computer, autopilot, advanced navigation and avionics systems, and a refurbished engine that provides improved performance.”

“Sri Lanka is very fond of this aircraft, and it serves its needs exceptionally well. Since the Kfir entered service there, many children born in the country have even been named ‘Kfir.’ Decades after most of these aircraft were retired elsewhere, we continue to maintain the unique expertise and capabilities required to upgrade them. This reflects IAI’s long-term commitment to its customers. Even decades after purchasing these aircraft, they know we remain committed to supporting them and providing the services they require,” he added.

For a country like Sri Lanka, these old relics are among its most prized assets, since they are practically the only fighters it has, aside from the Chinese J-7.

Sri Lanka’s defense budget has been modest amid sustained economic headwinds, with heavy emphasis on personnel costs, leaving limited funds for new high-end fighters.

The Sri Lankan government approved a program in 2016 to acquire 8–12 new multirole combat aircraft via government-to-government deals and received offers for the Tejas light combat aircraft from India and the JF-17 from China.

At the time, a potential JF-17 deal with China was discussed but ultimately fell through due to budget cuts, shifting priorities, and concerns from India. Therefore, upgrading existing Kfirs under a $50 million deal with IAI was far cheaper than buying new jets, which cost somewhere between $40 to $70 million per unit. The upgraded Kfirs will provide a credible, if limited, air defense and multi-role capability to the SLAF.

The Israeli Kfirs Continue To Be Relevant 

The Kfir is best remembered as an air-superiority fighter jet indigenously developed by Israel after France imposed an arms embargo on Israel. Initially, Israel depended on France for state-of-the-art military aircraft, such as the Dassault Mirage III, which was extensively used in combat.

However, Paris imposed a weapons embargo on Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War, and suspended the delivery of 50 Mirage 5J aircraft that Israel had already paid for, leaving the country stranded at a critical time.

Embargoed and restricted, Israel still needed fighter jets to deter its adversaries, which forced it to transform its pressing necessity into urgent innovation and indigenization. 

Subsequently, Israel went on to create its own combat aircraft, the Nesher, and then the more advanced, multirole, all-weather, and Mach 2-capable Kfir. Both aircraft were based on the French Mirage 5, but the Kfir was a more advanced fighter than the Nesher, as previously explained by the EurAsian Times.

The Kfir’s US-origin General Electric J79 turbojet engine provided increased performance and a top speed of 1,520 miles per hour. The aircraft had a service ceiling of 58,010 feet, a combat range of 477 miles, and a climb rate of around 46,000 feet per minute. 

The Kfir was equipped with the Elta EL/M-2001 fire-control radar, which had look-down and shoot-down capabilities. Additionally, it was armed with unguided air-to-ground rockets and two 30mm DEFA 553 guns, each with 140 rounds, developed by the defense giant Rafael.

With a payload capacity of over 6 tons, the Kfir was a remarkable bomb truck of its time. It could be equipped with a variety of missiles, including the AGM-65 Maverick, the Shafrir air-to-air missile, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the Shrike anti-radiation missile. 

The initial C.1 variant was only in use for a few years and had only one “kill” in Israeli markings. On July 27, 1979, the Israeli Kfirs were escorting reconnaissance aircraft over Lebanon when they encountered Syrian MiG-21 Fishbed-J fighters—one of the Kfirs downed the Syrian jet using a Shafrir-2 air-to-air missile—earning it its “sole” marking.

By the early 1980s, the Kfir C.1s started being replaced by newer fighters, such as the C.2 models with canards. However, soon after, the C.2s were taken out in favor of the more advanced F-15 Eagles.

Although the IAF still deployed the Kfir aircraft in combat, including during its operations in Lebanon, the Eagles became its go-to jets. After serving in the IAF for nearly 20 years straight, the Kfirs were withdrawn from active duty in the second half of the 1990s. 

The aircraft were subsequently acquired by foreign countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka, and became an excellent example of export. Not just that, the Kfir was also leased to the US Navy and US Marine Corps (USMC) for use as “dissimilar” aircraft for air-combat maneuver (ACM) training.

The US Navy and Marines benefited greatly from the aircraft’s use in training against Soviet jets, particularly the Soviet MiG-23 Flogger.

Captain John Manning said the Kfir was a good replica of the MiG-23 Flogger. It featured outstanding level flight acceleration and a high top speed. The captain claimed that practically any US aircraft, including an F-14 Tomcat, could be readily defeated by the Kfir.

The US Navy flew the Israeli aircraft until 1988, when F-16N Fighting Falcons replaced them in the ACM mission, whereas the Marines operated Kfirs until 1989, when they were replaced by the F-5E Tiger II fighters.

The Israeli Air Force moved on and is now one of the most advanced in the world. It operates a host of cutting-edge fighters, including the F-15, F-16, and F-35I—all of them extensively tested in combat.

However, the Kfir, born of the need to remain combat-ready despite arms restrictions, remains the mainstay of the air forces of Sri Lanka and Colombia. Colombia is now replacing its aging fleet of Israeli-made IAI Kfir fighter jets with the new Saab Gripen-E/F fighters, leaving Sri Lanka as the last operator of these Israeli Cold War-era jets.