The first Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft set to join the Air Force has completed its first test flight in the United States ahead of its expected delivery in about a month, the Defense Ministry said.
The aircraft will be called “Gideon” in Hebrew.
It is the first of six refueling aircraft purchased by the Defense Ministry’s U.S. procurement mission as part of a broader military buildup for long-range operations. The announcement came a day after Israel said it was purchasing two fighter jet squadrons, including F-35s and F-15IAs.
The KC-46 aircraft will be fitted with systems from Israel and adapted to the Air Force’s operational requirements. The ministry said they will allow the Air Force to extend its flight range and maintain air superiority across all arenas.
The new aircraft will replace the aging Re’em refueling planes, based on the Boeing 707, which have been in use by the Air Force for many years.
Israel signed a deal in 2022 to purchase four KC-46 aircraft and later bought two more. Israel is the third country to acquire the aircraft. Boeing says the KC-46 is the world’s most advanced refueling aircraft. Japan purchased two similar planes before Israel.
“The signing of the contract to purchase the refueling aircraft is an important milestone in strengthening the long arm of the State of Israel for many years to come,” Ido Nehushtan, president of Boeing Israel and a former Air Force commander, said at the time. “The new refueling aircraft will make an important and significant contribution to the strategic capabilities of the IDF and the Air Force.”
First published: 11:01, 05.04.26