124 Squadron (Israel)

{{Short description|Helicopter unit of the Israeli Air Force}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = 124th Squadron IAF | nickname = Rolling Swords Squadron | native_name = טייסת 124 | image = [[File:IAF_Squadron_124.png|200px]] | caption = Logo of the Squadron | country = {{country|Israel}} | allegiance = {{armed forces|Israel}} | branch = {{air force|Israel}} | type = [[Helicopter]] Squadron | role = Multipurpose | garrison = [[Palmachim Airbase]] | dates = January 1, 1958 – present | motto = | aircraft_helicopter = [[Sikorsky S-70#S-70|S-70A]] and [[UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60]] }}

[[File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Israeli Black Hawk Helicopter Lands in the Golan Heights.jpg|thumb|A 124 Squadron Blackhawk on the [[Golan Heights]]]] '''124 Squadron,''' established January 1, 1958, is a [[squadron (aviation)|squadron]] of the [[Israeli Air Force]], also known as Rolling Sword Squadron.

124 Squadron is a helicopter squadron of [[Sikorsky S-70#S-70|S-70A]] and [[UH-60 Black Hawk|UH-60]] Black Hawks based at [[Palmachim Airbase]].<ref name=GlobalSecurity>{{cite web|title=124 Squadron - The Rolling Sword |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/124squadron.htm |publisher=Globalsecurity.org |date=9 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090118073420/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/124squadron.htm |archive-date=18 January 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== History == The first helicopters arrived at the squadron in May 1951, which was then a wing. These were prototypes of the three-seater [[Hiller OH-23 Raven|"Hiller 360"]] helicopters that arrived for examination and trial, but were outdated and in a poor state of maintenance.

In January 1953, the Air Force's first helicopter rescue was carried out by the "Flipping Sword" gef, when a police ship overturned off the coast of [[Nahariya]] in a stormy sea. The two officers managed to reach a small rocky island off the coast and were rescued by a [[Hiller OH-23 Raven|Hiller 360 helicopter]].<ref name=60i/>

On November 3, 1956, three days before the end of [[Operation Kadesh]], the first two [[Sikorsky S-55]] attack helicopters.<ref name=60i>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaf.org.il/4479-50691-he/IAF.aspx|title=טייסת 124 חוגגת 60: הרגעים הגדולים|language=he}}</ref>

On November 10, 1956, the wing was transferred to the [[103 Squadron (Israel)|103rd Squadron]] in [[Tel Nof]] . On July 25, 1957, the branch also received a single [[Aérospatiale Alouette II]] helicopter.

On January 1, 1958, the branch became an independent squadron called Squadron 124 under the command of Captain Uri Yarom at the [[Tel Nof Airbase]]. In the same year, the squadron received more [[Sikorsky S-58]] helicopters as well as three more [[Aérospatiale Alouette II]] helicopters.<ref name=Yuri/>

In 1962, as a tribute from the German Minister of Defense Franz Josef Strauss, 24 modern [[Sikorsky S-58|Sikorsky 58-S]] helicopters arrived.<ref name=Yuri>{{Cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/education/2012-01-20/ty-article/0000017f-dc8d-d3a5-af7f-feafed120000|title=אבי המסוקים סא"ל אורי ירום, מוותיקי חיל האוויר, 1931-2012}}</ref>

Operation Pioneer was carried out by the squadron on the night between August 10 and 11, 1963. A force of a patrol of the General Staff was assigned to an intelligence mission.<ref name=gvura>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gvura.org/a343185-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%97%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A5-%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%A7|title=מבצע "חלוץ" ומבצע "שרקרק"|language=he}}</ref>

Operation Shrekrak was carried out by the squadron on the night between March 4 and 5, 1964. A force of a general patrol was assigned to an intelligence mission.<ref name=gvura/>

Operation Sheldag was carried out on the night between November 13 and 14, 1964. A force of a general patrol was assigned to an intelligence mission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gvura.org/a343949-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%9C|title= מבצע כחל – עדכון (יוני 2011)}}</ref>

Operation Kahl was carried out on the night of December 1–2, 1965. A force of a patrol of the General Staff was assigned to an intelligence mission.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gvura.org/a343949-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%9B%D7%97%D7%9C|title=מבצע כחל}}</ref>

On February 4, 1966, a huge fire broke out in Beit Zim in Tel Aviv. The squadron's S-58 helicopter was launched and rescued 30 survivors from the roof of the building.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaf.org.il/9486-54062-he/IAF.aspx|title=גבורה בלהבות: סיפורו של החילוץ המוסק מהשריפה בבניין צים}}</ref>

On July 1, 1969, two helicopters from the squadron participated in the "Bostan 25A" operation in the area of Ras Zafarna in Egypt.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-09 |title=מבצע "בוסתן 25" - מרקיע שחקים |url=https://sky-high.co.il/2021/01/09/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%AA%D7%9F-25/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=he-IL}}</ref>

On January 22, 1970, two helicopters from the squadron participated in the "Rhodes" operation to occupy the island of Shedoan at the entrance to the Gulf of Suez.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iaf.org.il/4694-32986-he/IAF.aspx|title=Operation Rhodes}}</ref>

During the [[Yom Kippur War]], the squadron evacuated 890 personnel and rescued 25 aircrew, as well as four enemy pilots.<ref name=60i/>

Operation Fallout was an IDF raid operation conducted on the night between June 8 and 9, 1978, in which fighters from the Parachute Brigade and the 13th Fleet, who were transported to their destination in the cruise ships of the missile ships, raided a base of terrorists in Lebanon. Evacuating the wounded from the Lebanese coast to the navy ship on which they received first aid And from there to Israel it was done by a heron helicopter of Squadron 124.<ref>{{Cite web |title=מבצע שלכת – 9-8 ביוני 1978 |url=https://moreshetyamit.net/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2-%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%AA-9-8-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99-1978/ |website=moreshetyamit.net |language=Hebrew}}</ref>

During the first intifada, Squadron 124 took an active part in the ongoing operational activities of the IDF, including operations to disperse demonstrations, using new means developed especially for this purpose, including: a system for throwing small gravel stones (the Segrir-Aba system), a system for throwing smoke and tear gas grenades. The helicopters were also used to hunt for wanted persons and rescue and evacuate the injured.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IAF |url=https://www.iaf.org.il/441-20450-he/IAF.aspx |website=www.iaf.org.il}}</ref>

The squadron was briefly assigned two ex-[[United States Coast Guard]] [[Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin]]. They were reassigned to the then new [[193 Squadron (Israel)]] in June 1987.

In the morning of January 3, 2002, the ship Karin A loaded with weapons sailed between Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Helicopters of squadron 124 arrived above the ship and from them fighters of Sheitat 13 and a bomb disposal force from the Yalam unit dangled onto the ship's deck. The fighters took control of the ship and its crew members in about 7 minutes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/1/ART2/325/705.html|title=חשיפה: כך השתלטה השייטת על ספינת הנשק "קארין איי|language=he}}</ref>

In the first days of the [[Gaza war]], the squadron was involved in rescuing casualties and flying troops to various missions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idf.il/%D7%90%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%97%D7%99%D7%93%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%99%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%94/%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%98%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%94-%D7%90-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%A2%D7%95-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%9C-180-%D7%92%D7%99%D7%97%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%9C-180-%D7%A4%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9D/|title=מסוקי חה"א חילצו מעל 180 פצועים}}</ref> On June 8, 2024, during the Arnon operation to rescue four abductees, a helicopter from the squadron flew the abductee Noa Argamani from the Gaza coast to Sheba Hospital.

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Israeli Air Force squadrons]]