Munir Redfa
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Operation Diamond. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2025. |
Captain Munir Redfa | |
|---|---|
منير ردفا | |
 Munir Redfa in Iraqi Air Force uniform | |
| Born | Munir Habib Jamil Rufa 1934 Baghdad, Kingdom of Iraq |
| Died | c. 1998 Israel (presumed) |
| Monuments | His MiG-21 is displayed at the Israeli Air Force Museum, Hatzerim Airbase |
| Other names | Munir Rufa |
| Citizenship | Iraqi (former), Israeli (after defection) |
| Education | Military aviation training (specifics not detailed) |
| Alma mater | Iraqi Air Force Academy (assumed) |
| Occupation | Fighter pilot |
| Years active | 1950s–1966 (Iraqi Air Force) |
| Era | Cold War |
| Employer | Iraqi Air Force (until 1966) |
| Agent | Mossad (facilitated defection) |
| Known for | Defecting to Israel with a MiG-21 as part of Operation Diamond |
| Notable work | Subject of the 1988 film Steal the Sky |
| Title | Captain |
| Opponent | Iraqi Ba'athist regime |
| Spouse | Yes (name not specified) |
| Children | Yes (exact number not stated) |
| Notes | |
Redfa's defection helped the U.S. and Israel study the MiG-21, aiding air superiority in later conflicts | |
Captain Munir Redfa (Arabic: منير ردفا, Syriac: ܡܘܢܝܪ ܪܕܦܐ), born Munir Habib Jamil Rufa (Arabic: منير حبيب جميل روفا, Syriac: ܡܘܢܝܪ ܚܒܝܒ ܓܡܝܠ ܪܘܦܐ) (1934 – c. 1998[1]) was an Iraqi fighter pilot. After Qasim's coup, Redfa was one of only five pilots the new regime trusted to continue serving with the sole Iraqi unit operating the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, 11th Squadron.[2]
Redfa defected in 1966 in "Operation Diamond", flying a MiG-21 of the Iraqi Air Force to Israel. In what is considered one of the Mossad's most successful operations, Redfa's entire extended family was smuggled safely out of Iraq to Israel. The MiG-21 fighter was evaluated by the Israeli Air Force and was later loaned to the United States for testing and intelligence analysis, as part of "Have Doughnut". Knowledge obtained from analysis of the aircraft was instrumental to the successes achieved by the Israeli Air Force in its future encounters with Arab MiG-21s.[1] Redfa's defection was the subject of the movie Steal the Sky (1988).
Redfa was an Assyrian, adherent of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
Redfa died of a heart attack around 1998.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Reuven Weiss (May 29, 2007). "The Blue Bird legend". YNet News..
- ^ Tom Cooper, In 1966, Israeli Intelligence Convinced an Iraqi Pilot to Defect with His MiG-21 Fighter, The National Interest, 2016.
External links
[edit]- Stealing a Soviet MiG, Jewish Virtual Library.