Commander of the Israeli Air Force

Commander of the Israeli Air Force
Commander of the Israeli Air Force
מפקדי חיל האוויר
	Incumbent; Omer Tischler; since 5 May 2026
	Israeli Air Force
Reports to	Chief of the General Staff
Formation	May 1948
First holder	Yisrael Amir

The Commander of the Israeli Air Force (Hebrew: מפקד חיל האוויר) is the head and highest-ranking officer of the Israeli Air Force, responsible for its overall command and operations. The current commander is Omer Tischler.

List of officeholders

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Ref.
No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Ref.
1		Amir, YisraelYisrael Amir (1902–2002)	May 1948	July 1948	2 months	^[1]
2		Remez, AharonAharon Remez (1919–1994)	July 1948	December 1950	2 years, 5 months	^[1]
3		Shamir, ShlomoShlomo Shamir (1915–2009)	December 1950	August 1951	8 months	^[1]
4		Laskov, HaimHaim Laskov (1919–1982)	August 1951	May 1953	1 year, 9 months	^[1]
5		Tolkowsky, DanDan Tolkowsky (1921–2025)	May 1953	July 1958	5 years, 2 months	^[1]
6		Weizman, EzerEzer Weizman (1924–2005)	July 1958	April 1966	7 years, 9 months	^[1]
7		Hod, MordechaiMordechai Hod (1926–2003)	April 1966	May 1973	7 years, 1 month	^[1]
8		Peled, BennyBenny Peled (1928–2002)	May 1973	October 1977	4 years, 5 months	^[1]
9		Ivry, DavidDavid Ivry (born 1934)	October 1977	December 1982	5 years, 2 months	^[1]
10		Lapidot, AmosAmos Lapidot (1934–2019)	December 1982	September 1987	4 years, 9 months	^[1]
11		Ben, AvihuAvihu Ben-Nun (born 1939)	September 1987	January 1992	4 years, 4 months	^[1]
12		Bodinger, HerzlHerzl Bodinger (1943–2025)	January 1992	July 1996	4 years, 6 months	^[1]
13		Eliyahu, EitanEitan Ben Eliyahu (born 1944)	July 1996	April 2000	3 years, 9 months	^[1]
14		Halutz, DanDan Halutz (born 1948)	April 2000	April 2004	4 years	^[1]
15		Shkedi, EliezerEliezer Shkedi (born 1957)	April 2004	May 2008	4 years, 1 month	^[1]
16		Nehoshtan, IdoIdo Nehoshtan (born 1957)	May 2008	May 2012	4 years	^[1]
17		Eshel, AmirAmir Eshel (born 1959)	May 2012	August 2017	5 years, 3 months	^[1]
18		Eshel, AmirAmikam Norkin (born 1966)	August 2017	April 2022	4 years, 8 months	^[2]
19		Norkin, AmikamTomer Bar (born 1969)	April 2022	May 2026	4 years, 5 months	^[3]
20		Bar, TomerOmer Tischler (born 1975)	May 2026		4 months	^[4]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Israel Air Force: Commanders-in-Chief". JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
↑ Gal Perl Finkel, IDF promotes officers who think outside the box, but still follow the line, The Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2018.
↑ Ahronheim, Anna (2021-07-05). "New IAF commander announced: Tomer Bar - IDF". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
↑ Fabian, Emanuel (2026-05-05). "At handover ceremony, outgoing Air Force chief calls for 'external' Oct. 7 inquiry". Times Of Israel. Retrieved May 7, 2026.

[JVL-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Israel Air Force: Commanders-in-Chief". JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY. Retrieved 22 October 2020.

[2] Gal Perl Finkel, IDF promotes officers who think outside the box, but still follow the line, The Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2018.

[3] Ahronheim, Anna (2021-07-05). "New IAF commander announced: Tomer Bar - IDF". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved April 8, 2022.

[4] Fabian, Emanuel (2026-05-05). "At handover ceremony, outgoing Air Force chief calls for 'external' Oct. 7 inquiry". Times Of Israel. Retrieved May 7, 2026.

[1]

v t e Israeli Air Force
History	History of the Israeli Air Force List of Israeli flying aces Sherut Avir Israeli Air Force Museum
Prominent operations	Focus Gift Many Ways Mole Cricket 19 Opera Outside the Box Rhodes Rimon 20 Rooster 53 Wooden Leg
Branches and components	Air Intelligence Group Air Defense Command Air Traffic control Command
Air bases (N to S)	Ramat David Ein Shemer Palmachim Tel Nof Hatzor Sdot Micha Hatzerim Nevatim Ramon Ovda
Formations and units	Aircraft squadrons Flight academy Shaldag 669 Ofek
Equipment	Aircraft Munitions

List of officeholders

See also

References