The primary KC-46 “Gideon” tanker for the Israeli Air Pressure has been delivered lower than one month after its first flight was introduced.
The Israeli Air Pressure obtained its first KC-46 at Nevatim Air Base on Might 27, 2026. The tanker, designated as “Gideon” by the Israeli navy, was delivered lower than one month after the Israeli Ministry of Protection had introduced its first flight on LinkedIn on Might 4, 2026.
At the moment, the Israeli Air Pressure is including the capabilities of the “Gideon”, probably the most superior operational refueling plane on this planet.
Its arrival marks a real leap ahead within the Israeli Air Pressure’s skill to develop its operational vary, lengthen the period of operational… pic.twitter.com/LII80CKF30
— Israeli Air Pressure (@IAFsite) Might 27, 2026
The plane is the primary of six KC-46s which are being procured by Israel and, in keeping with the statements of the Israeli MOD, it “will probably be geared up with Israeli techniques and tailored to the operational necessities of the Israeli Air Pressure, enabling it to increase operational vary and keep air superiority throughout all theaters.”
The Israeli Air Pressure says the “Gideon” is “probably the most superior operational refueling plane on this planet.”
🇮🇱 A historic day for the IAF, which took supply of its first KC-46A “Gideon” multi-mission aerial refueler.
Further IDF photographs of the plane’s arrival at Nevatim Air Pressure Base earlier at the moment: pic.twitter.com/qZZByIcULM
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) Might 27, 2026
The primary plane, flying as RCH301 (“REACH 301” – a callsign usually utilized by U.S. Air Pressure plane assigned to the Air Mobility Command), could possibly be tracked on-line.
ברייקינג: מטוס התדלוק החדש של חיל האוויר הישראלי, פגסוס KC-46A “גדעון” (301), נחת לפני זמן קצר בישראל. הראשון מתוך 6 (ועוד 2 כאופציה) pic.twitter.com/C2ka2HrlCh
— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) Might 27, 2026
The U.S. State Division authorised a International Navy Sale (FMS) of the KC-46 Pegasus tanker to Israel in 2020. The approval included as much as eight tankers for an estimated worth of $2.4 billion.
In 2021, the Israeli authorities authorised the acquisition, clearing the best way for the negotiations. A 12 months later, Boeing was awarded a contract value $930 million for the primary 4 KC-46s, with deliveries anticipated by 2026.
Reviews in 2025 talked about that Israel was seeking to improve the order, and thus two extra KC-46 have been procured. At this stage, it’s unclear if the KC-46 will probably be additional elevated or it should stay at six airframes. Some Israeli media shops reported the complete order contains eight plane, whereas others nonetheless say the order is only for six ones.
The KC-46 will exchange Israel Boeing 707 “Re’em” tankers which were working for round 60 years. In keeping with out there info, six 707s are at present in service with the Israeli Air Pressure, making the KC-46 acquisition, a minimum of, a one-for-one substitute.
The supply of the primary Israeli Air Pressure KC-46 is actually excellent news for Boeing, because it places the troubled Pegasus below the highlight once more with the induction into energetic service by an essential buyer. Furthermore, the information comes shortly after one other buyer, Italy, which had initially determined to switch its present fleet of 4 KC-767 tankers with the KC-46, halted the procurement of the Pegasus and finally signed a take care of Airbus for the procurement of six A330 MRTT (Multi-Function Tanker Transport) plane.
The arrival of the primary Gideon follows additionally the announcement collectively made by the U.S. Air Pressure and Boeing of a brand new plan to enhance the readiness of the Pegasus tanker fleet and speed up the supply of long-awaited upgrades. The truth is, the tanker has reportedly suffered from boom-related points, together with the stiffness of the telescoping actuator, which affected its skill to refuel some forms of receiver plane, in addition to gasoline system leaks, supply pauses and high quality points.
Among the many upgrades that will probably be made out there quickly, there’s the one in regards to the Distant Imaginative and prescient System 2.0, or RVS 2.0.
The system supplies high-definition stereoscopic imagery to the imaginative and prescient goggles hooked up to a sort-of flight helmet worn by the boomer through the air-to-air refueling, changing the so-called “direct view know-how” utilized by the USAF in KC-135 and KC-10 tankers legacy tankers, the place the growth operator appears to be like straight by way of a window on the receiver plane, lies face-down in a rear-mounted pod and makes use of a guide management stick to their proper hand to “fly” the growth.
RVS 2.0 replaces the unique distant digicam and show structure (RVS 1.0) utilized by KC-46 growth operators, introducing fixes to the picture washout and 3D distortions affecting the unique KC-46 RVS 1.0 design, particularly below sure lighting situations. These points, among the most persistent issues affecting the Pegasus since its entry into service, have been labeled among the many KC-46’s Class 1 deficiencies.
Boeing initially agreed to the Air Pressure’s demand in April 2020 to revamp your complete RVS and introduce the RVS 2.0 at no extra price to the federal government. Nevertheless, a collection of technical, essential design critiques and certification for industrial off-the-shelf digicam {hardware} stored pushing the RVS 2.0 supply past 2026. As of late 2025, the service-wide retrofit was mentioned to be anticipated in 2027, when RVS 2.0 would lastly be licensed and authorised for supply.
