"Nothing is impossible. Air Force officers are providing remarkable responses to the various issues at hand, and this includes dealing with long ranges," said outgoing Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. Eliezer Shkedy on Monday in addressing the Iranian threat.
"The IAF is outstanding, and it is prepared for any mission the country will task it with," he said.
"The Iranian issue troubles me greatly and I take it very seriously. I pay considerable attention to the rhetoric of (Iranian President) Ahmadinejad and (Iranian Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah) Khamenei as well as that of the moderates, and I listen to what they say they are doing in the open and estimate what they are doing behind closed doors.
"I see how they are advancing their capabilities in fields like aviation and cruise missiles as well as ground capabilities. I think we should be taking their statements very seriously."
Shkedy, who will be stepping down from his post on Tuesday and returning to civilian life, has served as commander of the IAF for a four year term. He will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, who has served in a number of key positions in the IAF.
"Much is being done at the moment, and the results speak for themselves."
Shkedy's tenure was marked by numerous high-profile events, mostly centering on operations in Gaza
and abroad.
The Maj. Gen. only vaguely addressed the IAF airstrike in Syria last September.
"I had the great privilege of commanding the Air Force during these unique days, without mentioning those matters which we do not discuss," he said.
_a.jpg "Photo: Avi Mualem")
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