Israel’s first Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft completed its initial test flight in the United States and is expected to be delivered within about a month, the Defense Ministry announced.

The aircraft will be designated “Gideon” in Hebrew. It is the first of six refueling planes purchased by the Defense Ministry’s U.S. procurement mission as part of a broader military buildup aimed at extending operational range and maintaining air superiority.

The KC-46 will be fitted with Israeli systems and adapted to the Air Force’s operational requirements. Boeing describes the KC-46 as the world’s most advanced refueling aircraft. The announcement came a day after Israel said it was purchasing two fighter jet squadrons, including F-35s and F-15IAs, signaling an accelerated military modernization effort.

The new aircraft will replace aging Re’em refueling planes, which are based on the Boeing 707 and have served the Israeli Air Force for many decades. Israel signed a deal in 2022 to purchase four KC-46 aircraft and later bought two additional planes, making it the third country to acquire the system. Japan purchased two similar aircraft before Israel.

“The new refueling aircraft will make an important and significant contribution to the strategic capabilities of the IDF and the Air Force,” said Ido Nehushtan, president of Boeing Israel and a former Air Force commander, when the initial deal was announced.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)