Israel Inducts the World's Most Advanced Refueling Aircraft

After more than 40 years, the Israeli Air Force has received a new model of refueling aircraft — the "Gideon," or the KC-46 Pegasus by its American designation, which is considered the most advanced aircraft of its kind in the world. The induction of the aircraft transforms the refueling array, as the technology is based on advanced systems including 3D cameras that allow operators to perform complex tasks using 3D glasses, significantly streamlining the process and increasing accuracy.

For decades, the 120th Squadron, known as the "Desert Giants," lived in the shadow of the more glamorous fighter squadrons, but the war with Iran changed everything. Almost overnight, the squadron from the Nevatim base in the Negev became the most strategic unit in the State of Israel, turning the "long arm" of the Air Force from a recommendation into a reality and enabling missions to any location on the globe in a single flight.

The veteran workhorses of the Israeli refueling squadron, the "Re'ems," are well into their fifth decade of service. In the Air Force, they describe the Re'em as a plane with a "heart," but one that is aging like a person or an old vehicle. Now, after years of anticipation, the Air Force has begun the induction of the Gideon, which is set to serve as the backbone of the refueling array for decades to come.

The complex task of aerial refueling takes a technological leap with the Gideon: it carries more fuel, can perform about 50% more refuelings per mission, and is capable of receiving fuel from another aircraft. This theoretically allows for unlimited flight time and the execution of long-duration missions lasting tens of hours continuously.

One of the Gideon's greatest advantages is its versatility; it is far more than just an aerial tanker.

The aircraft, based on the Boeing 767 passenger jet, stores fuel on the lower deck, while the upper deck is designed for approximately 30 tons of cargo or the transport of dozens of soldiers. In fact, the Gideon is now the largest transport aircraft in the Air Force, capable of performing these tasks simultaneously.

Inducting an aircraft of this scale, with each unit costing hundreds of millions of dollars, is a massive logistical operation involving tens of thousands of parts. Air and ground crews spent months in the USA learning the aircraft in minute detail from American partners. The Gideon is expected to serve in the Air Force for at least the next 40 years, and although not yet officially declared operational, the Air Force clarifies that the first aircraft is ready to participate in combat if called upon — and its baptism of fire may occur very soon.