The Israeli long arm is getting longer and stronger

The Israeli long arm is getting longer and stronger

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18749758_mIran is galloping towards a nuclear bomb and Israel has to be ready to defend itself. This requires a very capable “long arm” and the Israeli airforce is honing its capabilities.

The Israeli air force (IAF) is evaluating the purchase of an aerial refueling simulator to answer the growing needs for this capability.

Currently, the boom operators of the IAF Boeing 707 aerial refueling aircraft are being trained onboard and in a KC-10 simulator in the U.S which is different in configuration from the Israeli 707.

Because of some safety incidents encountered in recent years during aerial refueling operations, the IAF is considering to acquire the dedicated simulator that will be used to train only the boom operators.

The operational requirements from such a simulator are being prepared now, and then the IAF will ask for proposals from simulator manufacturers.

If and when such a simulator is purchased, it will operate in the heavy transport training center that was recently inaugurated in the IAF’s Nevatim base.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has been considering a plan that will allow the leasing of Boeing KC-46A air tankers to replace the converted 707’s used now by the Israeli airforce (IAF).

The evaluation is the most recent development in the ongoing effort to give the IAF a modern aerial refueling capability.

All the IAF’s 707 tankers were converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).