<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-05-018346
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050901
<FILING-DATE>20050920
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050920
<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>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PAGET JONATHAN
<CIK>0001185644
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-31031
<FILM-NUMBER>051093595
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CAMBRIDGE HOUSE OXFORD ROAD
<CITY>UXBRIDGE UK
<STATE>X0
<ZIP>UB8IUN
<PHONE>441895467190
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>2005-09-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185644</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PAGET JONATHAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CAMBRIDGE HOUSE, OXFORD ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>UXBRIDGE, MIDDLESEX</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>UB81UN</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText>Officer of a Reporting Company</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4828</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.68</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>111091</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Christopher H. Cunningham, Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-09-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
