JPOST
The plane that came back from the dead and stunned the world
Avi Ashkenazi
September 26, 2025

“One man’s trash is another man’s diamond.” This old proverb found new life in Operation Rising Lion, when a refurbished F-15, nicknamed the “Man of Steel”, stunned the US military by being among the first planes to attack Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities. Once destined for the scrapyard, this one time American fighter jet was reborn through the grit and ingenuity of Israel’s Air Force technicians-both conscripted and reserve forces, directly affecting all of the Israeli Air Force’s moves, and the outcome of the war. The story begins over seven years ago, when the US Air Force handed over seven aging F-15s to Israel. Built in the late 1970s, these aircraft had logged tens of thousands of flight hours and participated in numerous American military operations. Four arrived by air, three by sea, and all were intended to be dismantled for spare parts,never to fly again. READ MORE