A new Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft slated to be delivered to the Israeli Air Force next month has completed its first test flight in the United States, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The aircraft, dubbed “Gideon,” is the first of six refueling planes purchased by the ministry’s procurement mission in the United States as part of the Jewish state’s “broad force buildup effort,” according to the ministry.
The aircraft is to be outfitted with Israeli systems and adapted to meet operational requirements, enabling the IAF to extend its range and maintain aerial superiority “across all arenas,” the statement continued.
Jerusalem last summer signed a follow-on contract with the United States to acquire its fifth and sixth Boeing-made refueling aircraft, supplementing the four already purchased.
The contract, valued at roughly half a billion dollars and funded through U.S. aid, marked a significant milestone in the Defense Ministry’s force buildup for the Israel Defense Forces.
“The fifth and sixth refueling aircraft will strengthen the IAF—the IDF’s long-range strategic arm—enabling it to reach distant theaters with greater force and scope,” said Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram at the time. “We will continue to work together to strengthen the IDF in the current campaign and toward future challenges.”
