The Israeli Air Force (IDF) held a ceremony on 27 May for the arrival of its first Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft, named locally as ‘Gideon’ and assigned the registration 301. The event was led by Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir and IAF Commander MG Omer Tischler.
The tanker touched down in Israel following its first flight in the US earlier this month. The aircraft is the first of six KC-46As on order for Israel, with the service describing the arrival as a significant expansion of operational range and flight endurance.
A second aircraft, carrying the registration 312, has also been accepted by the Israeli Air Force and is currently in Seattle awaiting delivery. Israel initially ordered four of the 767-derived tankers, before signing a follow-on contract in 2024 for an additional two.
The new assets will replace a veteran fleet of six Boeing 707-based tankers, some of which are up to 55 years old. The KC-46A, equipped with a boom system, will provide modernized refueling capability to the IAF’s combat aircraft fleet.
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The US Air Force operates an active fleet of more than 110 KC-46A tankers, while Japan has six aircraft in service. Israel now joins these operators as the third nation to field the type.
Israeli KC-46 Gideon | IDF 
Israeli KC-46 Gideon | IDF 
Israeli KC-46 Gideon | IDF
“The landing of the Gideon, a fifth-generation strategic platform, during an intense and prolonged war, while IDF troops are deployed across seven arenas fighting to defend Israeli civilians, is a historic, challenging, and deeply moving moment," said the Commander of the Israeli Air Force, MG Omer Tischler.
All six aircraft are expected to be delivered over the next several years while training and operational integration are already underway at the IAF’s Nevatim air base.
The ‘Gideon’ designation honors Gideon the Great, a biblical figure, continuing the IAF tradition of naming tanker aircraft after historical leaders. The 707-based tankers were named after figures including King David.
