A ceremony marking the arrival of the first refueling and transport aircraft of its kind in the Israeli Air Force was held on Wednesday, led by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler.
The aircraft, a Boeing KC-46 "Gideon," landed at the Nevatim Airbase and was received by the new refueling squadron, which opened last week.
It is the first of six refueling planes purchased by the Defense Ministry’s procurement delegation in the United States.
The new refueling aircraft allow the IDF to extend the range of operations and the loitering time of IDF fighter jets, alongside advanced and multi-mission transport capabilities.
According to the IDF statement, the arrival of the new aircraft constitutes a significant reinforcement of the Air Force’s superiority in the multi-front war and in operations in distant arenas. The move is part of a broad force buildup program being led by the Defense Ministry for the IDF.