Air Force

Major General (res.) Amikam Norkin has been chosen to lead the local operations of the defense-tech giant, and is expected to deepen work with the defense establishment and Israeli industries. At the same time, Globes has learned that the company is conducting a massive fundraising round: its scope has reached about $10 billion to date, and it has not yet closed.

The "Eagles of the North" program, which integrates Druze and Jewish recruits, has begun its second cycle. The goal is to overcome underrepresentation in the sector. Three members of the Druze community from the first cycle have already passed the initial screening for the flight course.

Explosive drones have revolutionized the battlefield, but the war between Ukraine and Russia has shown that they have significant limitations. Why should the West be concerned?

The ties between Israeli defense industries and the Ministry of Defense in Athens are tightening. Greece is expected to complete in October the certification of Rafael's Spike NLOS missiles for launch from Apache helicopters. The helicopters' electronic systems are being upgraded by Elbit.

Chinese fighter jets conducted interception training against the Egyptian Air Force's French Rafale jets as part of a joint exercise held for the second year. For Beijing, this is a rare opportunity to test its capabilities against a Western platform. In Cairo, the move signals further rapprochement with the United States' great rival.

The prolonged war has highlighted Israel's dependence on munitions arriving from the USA - and now the defense establishment is preparing to significantly expand local production. GPS systems that turn regular bombs into precision ones, munitions that identify the target using a camera, and missiles launched from a great distance: these are the main smart munitions used by the Air Force - and this...

It is likely that the attack last night in northeastern Syria was intended to achieve strategic goals, similar to last April, when the IDF bombed the T4 airport: to remind Erdogan where the border lies — and to clarify to Al-Shara not to go too far. Since the fall of Assad, Ankara has been working to establish air defense systems in Syrian territory — which would limit the IDF's freedom of action.

The October 7 massacre taught the Air Force that it was greatly mistaken — and the combat helicopter squadrons will be split, with some Apache helicopters moving from Ramon Airbase to Ramat David Airbase. Meanwhile, the purchase of new helicopters continues to be delayed.

The Polymarket affair continues: the officer will be charged with breach of trust. In February, another officer was charged with serious security offenses.

Hundreds of Israeli and American aircraft operated simultaneously in the region's skies, while missiles and UAVs from Iran and Lebanon also occupied the airspace. Now, the Air Force reveals the drama in the control system, which was required to synchronize the most crowded airspace it has ever known - and reach a record of 14 seconds from threat detection to interception.

Major General (res.) Eitan Ben-Eliahu was interviewed on 103fm radio and addressed the controversy surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump's repeated threats, and the concerning shortage of American interceptors: "His military leverage is almost lost."

Ozlem Karapinar has become the first woman in Turkish history to reach the rank of general in the Air Force. The promotion was part of a major round of military appointments signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

An Israeli Air Force intelligence team successfully neutralized Iran's air defense network. Through deep intelligence and cooperation with Aman, they mapped and destroyed key SAM batteries, securing air superiority.

The IDF has reopened the 193rd Squadron following the arrival of the new 'Shalach' (Seahawk) helicopters, which replace the retired 'Atalef' fleet. The Navy states these helicopters will significantly enhance operational capabilities, including troop transport, rescue missions, supply operations, and activities in distant maritime arenas.