<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-05-007639
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050411
<FILING-DATE>20050412
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050412
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HUSEBY THOMAS S
<CIK>0001238644
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-31031
<FILM-NUMBER>05745568
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>777-1087TH AVENUE NE
<STREET2>SUITE 1895
<CITY>BELLEVUE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>98004
<PHONE>4256375602
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AIRSPAN NETWORKS INC
<CIK>0001105542
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3663
<IRS-NUMBER>000000000
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>WA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CAMBRIDGE HOUSE OXFORD ROAD
<STREET2>UXBRIDGE MIDDLESEX UB81UN
<CITY>UNITED KINGDOM
<STATE>X0
<ZIP>00000
<PHONE>0114418954
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CAMBRIDGE HOUSE OXFORD ROAD
<STREET2>UXBRIDGE MIDDLESEX UB81UN
<CITY>UNITED KINGDOM
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-04-11</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001105542</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AIRSPAN NETWORKS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AIRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001238644</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HUSEBY THOMAS S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>777 108TH AVE NE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BELLEVUE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98004</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-04-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.85</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>191980</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Sale effected pursuant to preplanned trading program designated to meet the requirements of Rule 10b5-1.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Christopher H. Cunningham - Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
