Tomer Bar
Commander of the Israeli Air Force
Assumed office
April 4, 2022
Prime MinisterNaftali Bennett
Yair Lapid
Benjamin Netanyahu
IDF ChiefAviv Kochavi
Preceded byAmikam Norkin
Personal details
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Kfar Yehoshua, Israel
Military service
Allegiance Israel
Branch/service Israeli Air Force
Years of service1989–present
Rank Major general
Commands133 Squadron
69 Squadron
Tel Nof Airbase
Air Force Operations Department
Israeli Air Force Flight Academy
Tel Nof Airbase
IAF Chief of Air Staff
IDF Force Design Directorate
Israeli Air Force
Battles/warsSouth Lebanon conflict
Second Intifada
Operation Defensive Shield
2006 Lebanon War
Operation Cast Lead
Operation Pillar of Cloud
Operation Brother's Keepers
Operation Protective Edge
Operation Swords of Iron

Aluf Tomer Bar (Hebrew: תומר בר; born 1969) is an Israeli general currently commanding the Israeli Air Force. Before his selection to succeed Amikam Norkin as commander of the IAF, Bar served as head of the IDF Force Design Directorate, a reorganized version of what was once the Planning Directorate.[1]

Biography

Bar was born in 1969, one of six children of Erela and Natan Bar. He enlisted in the IDF in 1987 and completed pilot course with honors in 1989.[2]

He served as a F-16 fighter pilot with the 110, 116 and 140 Squadrons. After a period of study in the United States, he was assigned as an F-15 pilot with the 133 Squadron in 1998.[3]

From 1999 to 2002, he served as head of the Operations Branch at the Air Force Headquarters. In 2005, Bar was appointed commander of the 69 Squadron, which was equipped with the F-15I, and commanded the squadron during the Second Lebanon War. During his tenure, the squadron have undertaken Operation Orchard, the destruction of a Syrian nuclear site on September 6, 2007. During his service, he served as head of the Air Force's Operations Department for three years, including during Operation Cast Lead. In 2010, he was appointed commander of the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy, and served in that position until 2012.[3]

In February 2012, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and appointed commander of the Tel Nof Airbase, where he took part in the training of UAV operators and commanded the base during Operation Pillar of Cloud. On October 17, 2017, he was appointed chief of staff of the Air Force, and served in that position until October 22, 2019, including during the February 2018 Israel–Syria incident. On June 18, 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Major General, and was appointed Head of the IDF Force Design Directorate on June 21.[4][5]

In September 2021, he was announced as the next appointee of commander of the IAF and on April 4, 2022, Bar was appointed commander of the IAF, replacing Major General Amikam Norkin.[6][7]

Awards and decorations

Tomer Bar was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts.

Second Lebanon War South Lebanon Security Zone Operation Protective Edge

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tomer Bar.
  1. ^ Ari Gross, Judah (September 27, 2021). "Tomer Bar picked as next head of the Israeli Air Force". Times of Israel. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "אראלה בר-שירה מכפר יהושע, אמו של מפקד חיל האוויר החדש: "גאווה ואושר"". mynet.co.il. 2021-09-27. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "ראש מטה חיל-האוויר – תא"ל תומר בר". iaf.org.il. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  4. ^ "אלוף תומר בר: "מדינות במערב מחפשות שיתופי פעולה עם צה"ל בפיתוח פרויקטים משותפים"". calcalist.co.il. 2020-12-27. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  5. ^ "מפקד תל-נוף החדש: תא"ל תומר ב". iaf.org.il. 2012-02-12. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  6. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (2022-04-04). "New Israeli Air Force chief Tomer Bar takes up post". Times of Israel. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  7. ^ Ahronheim, Anna (2021-07-05). "New IAF commander announced: Tomer Bar – IDF". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
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