Prior to the War of Independence, an aviation infrastructure was in place to some degree in the Jewish Yishuv. With the UN's decision to partition the Land of Israel into two states – Jewish and Arab – David Ben-Gurion requested proposals on how to strengthen the existing army so that it could deal not only with the Arabs of the Land of Israel but also with the neighboring Arab states. Aharon Remez, a fighter pilot who served in the Royal Air Force, and his friend Hayman Schechtman (Shamir), who at the time served in the American air force, developed ideas on the formation of a Jewish air force. On October 23, 1947, they passed their ideas on to Yisrael Galilee, the Haganah's chief of staff.

According to plans, the new Jewish air force would present a decisive counterweight in war against the organized militaries of the Arab states. The plan defined the new force's missions, including the execution of air patrols, dispatching of light planes for the purpose of unloading light bombs, and cooperation with the ground forces. Remez and Shamir believed the force will be capable to filling an especially important role – defending the country's air space from enemy aircraft and from enemy bombings of the battlefront and the home front.

Initially, the planners proposed that the Yishuv purchase between 12 to 20 civilian planes, enlist pilots and ground crew in the country and train them to immediately fly the planes expected to arrive. In addition, Remez and Shamir suggested the Yishuv procure between 20 and 40 single-engine fighter planes, five to 10 single-engine transport planes, and five to 10 medium-range bombers. In the final stages of the plan, it was estimated that the aerial force would include 15 squadrons - seven combat squadrons, three bomber squadrons, and five patrol and transport squadrons - with a total fleet of 111 planes to be flown by 195 pilots. They also emphasized the need for a flight squadron which would boast sophisticated aircraft for aerial combat.

On November 2, 1947, another meeting was held in the office of the Chief of Staff, Yaakov Dori, during which the leadership decided to form an air division of the Haganah with Yehoshua Eshel as its chief. On November 10, the official order was issued establishing the force with Eshel in charge. In December 1947, the Haganah commander and the members of the new Air Service announced the formation of an operational squadron and the opening of the service's first pilot's course. In May 1948, the new service began to undergo changes. Its name was changed from the Air Service to the Air Force, and a new chief of the Air Force was appointed - Yisrael Amir.