Israel’s first KC-46 ‘Gideon’ tanker completes maiden flight in US skies

Israel’s first Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker, designated “Gideon” in Israeli service, has completed its maiden flight in US skies, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on May 4, 2026. The aircraft is the first of six KC-46 tankers procured by the Israeli Air Force and is expected to be delivered in June 2026. 

First of six aircraft on order 

The sale of up to eight KC-46 Pegasus was approved by the US State Department in 2020 with an estimated value of $2.4 billion. Boeing was awarded a $930 million contract in 2022 for the first four aircraft, and Israel exercised options for two additional airframes in 2025, bringing the confirmed fleet size to six. 

In Israeli service, the aircraft is named after the biblical military leader Gideon. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the tankers will be equipped with Israeli systems and adapted to the operational requirements of the Israeli Air Force, “enabling it to extend operational range and maintain air superiority across all theaters.”  

The ministry did not specify what equipment would be integrated, though Israeli adaptations of foreign-built platforms typically include indigenous communications, electronic warfare, and self-protection suites. 

Imagery released by the ministry shows the aircraft refueling from a US Air Force KC-46 on its first sortie (Credit: Israel Ministry of Defense)Replacing the aging KC-707 fleet 

The Gideon will replace Israel’s aging fleet of Boeing KC-707 “Re’em” tankers, which have been in service for around 60 years. The Israeli Air Force currently operates approximately seven KC-707s, alongside seven Lockheed Martin KC-130HI tankers. 

The procurement has been a long-standing priority for the service. Israel’s requests to accelerate KC-46 deliveries were declined by Washington in 2021, with the original schedule calling for the first two aircraft to be delivered in 2023.  

The high-tempo operations of the 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, and the US-Israeli campaign Operation Epic Fury launched on February 28, 2026, have placed Israeli aerial refueling capacity under significant strain and provided fresh impetus for the additional order. 

Part of a broader force buildup 

The Gideon’s maiden flight comes one day after Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved the acquisition of two additional fighter squadrons: a fourth squadron of F-35I “Adir” jets and a second squadron of F-15IA aircraft. Both procurements fall under the decade-long Shield of Israel program, backed by an approximately NIS 350 billion ($119 billion) budget. 

The KC-46 is widely viewed as an enabling capability for Israel’s long-range strike missions, particularly against targets in Iran, where most of the country’s territory sits more than 1,500 kilometers from Israeli airspace.The post Israel’s first KC-46 ‘Gideon’ tanker completes maiden flight in US skies appeared first on AeroTime.

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