IAF F-15s and Hercules transports took off Thursday for the Leoš Janáček Airport in Ostrava, in the Czech Republic, to participate in the NATO DAYS annual air show there.
This is the first time in the show's 11 year history that Israel is participating. Twelve other states will take part, including Britain, Germany and France. Turkey, whose relationship with Israel has been somewhat tense in the past two years, is also among the participants.
Besides two F-15s from the Tel Nof Base and a Hercules C-130, Israel will also be displaying equipment used by elite airborne rescue unit 669.
Visitors will be able to enter the Hercules's belly and see a display of an airborne operating theater as well as various videos.
The show's organizers claim that it is the largest air show in eastern Europe.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Sunday that “Israel recently made an attempt to open an office at NATO in Brussels. We said we would veto this attempt and the issue was not even put on the agenda." Israel denied any knowledge of this turn of events.