The Israeli Air Force on Wednesday received its first Boeing KC-46 “Gideon” refueling plane from the United States, the first of six KC-46 aircraft purchased by the Defense Ministry, in a move that will significantly boost Israel’s long-range strike capability, the IDF said.

The multi-role aircraft makes mid-air refueling possible for fighter jets and other aircraft, but can also be used for military transport.

The KC-46 aircraft are to replace the Israeli Air Force’s current fleet of aging Boeing 707s refueling planes, which played a key role in Israel’s recent wars against Iran. However, the IAF has largely relied on using US Air Force refuelers to enable jets to carry out strikes in Iran, some 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Israel and far outside the normal flight range of Israeli jets.

According to the military, the KC-47 can carry up to 200,000 pounds of fuel, a 15 percent increase over the previous model. It is also more efficient than the 707, the IDF said, which will increase the flight time, allowing for longer refueling missions.

The aircraft was inaugurated at Nevatim Airbase during a ceremony attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler.

“The arrival of the........

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