The cover indicates "New and updated 2009 Edition" so that means that you get all of the material in the earlier book when the aircraft had just entered squadron service, with even more history and photos of the new units and their equipment and systems that have been added. Counting the covers, a full 100 pages.

The F-16I has been turned into a much more efficient bomber than the F-15I due to the addition of the conformal fuel tanks above the wings. These are made in Israel based on tests in the US  that proved they worked as advertised. What it has done is allow the aircraft to have the same range as the Ra'am, but to do so at a lower cost of only one engine. In addition, the cost of the Sufa is only 60% of the Ra'am. All F-16Is are two seat aircraft and can carry a prodigious number of weapons, both those developed overseas and those developed indigenously.

The aircraft has now entered service with four squadrons and each of them is covered in considerable detail. In fact, it is the color photography that really draws one to this book.

This book follows the same general format as their other publications. There is a short history of the type and a description of its capabilities, weapons and camouflage. Then there are sections on each of the four units, a superb walkaround, and a look at all the different things that can be carried by the aircraft.  It is obvious that the author was given pretty much full access to these aircraft as I don't see that anything was missed!

All of the different unit tail markings over the years are fully catalogued and there are also some well drawn profiles to add to things. The bottom line is that this is the finest publication yet available on the type and a superb companion to their decal sheets. A MUST for enthusiasts of the IAF and for any modeler who wants to accurately portray the type in plastic.

August 2009

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