Tel Nof Airbase (RAF Aqir)

Tel Nof Airbase, designated Air Force Base 8, is located five kilometers south of Rehovot. Established in 1941 as RAF Aqir, it served as a primary Royal Air Force installation during the British Mandate. The Israel Defense Forces assumed control of the facility in May 1948, initially designating it Ekron Airbase before renaming it Tel Nof in 1950. On May 29, 1948, the base launched the first Israeli fighter mission using Avia S-199 aircraft.

The base hosts strike fighter, heavy transport helicopter, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) squadrons. Operational units include 106 Squadron and 133 Squadron, both operating F-15C/D Eagle aircraft. 118 Squadron operates CH-53D heavy transport helicopters, and 210 Squadron operates IAI Eitan UAVs. The facility also houses the Flight Test Center (Manat), which operates a dedicated F-35I test platform. Other stationed units include Unit 669 heliborne Combat Search and Rescue, Unit 555 for electronic warfare, and the headquarters and training center for the Paratroopers Brigade. Since 2019, the base has hosted the "Red Baron" Squadron, a joint unit where Israeli personnel train German Air Force crews on the IAI Eitan.