Regarded by many as the most graceful jet design ever to leave the ground, the Hunter is hugely popular aircraft, both with its pilots and with those who merely watch and wish to be a pilot. From the same stable as the legendary Hurricane, the Hunter is from the era when the F-86 and MiG-15 were hot ships and not only outlasted them, but also stayed around longer than many later aircraft.

One of Britain's most visibly successful exports, having been operated by no less than 19 countries, the Hunter spent almost 50 years in active front line service.

In 1958 the Lebanon air force was equipped with two squadrons of "Hawker Hunter" fighter aircraft.

One was shot down on the first day of the Six-Day War by the Israeli Air Force. They were used infrequently during the Lebanese Civil War, flying their last sorties in a period from 1 September to 15 September 1983.

On 20 August 2007, reports indicated that the Lebanese Armed Forces may restart using them after the conflict with Fatah al Islam militants in the Nahr el-Bared camp north of Tripoli