After years of waiting, the US is close to delivering to Israel the first of at least six KC-46 midair refueling aircraft for future potential attacks on Iran and other distant targets, the Defense Ministry announced on Monday.
The first KC-46 aircraft conducted a maiden test flight in the US and is expected to be delivered to the Jewish state in around a month.
This delivery could be a game-changer in providing Israel greater independence regarding whether it may decide to strike the Islamic regime, the Yemen Houthis, and other distant adversaries in the future.
In the short term, the move is less necessary and less imminent than once thought.
Israeli assumptions had always been that the IDF may need to attack Iran without American help, which could require midair refueling.
The air force has had such a capability, but it has been limited.
However, Israel ultimately had American help in attacking Iran, and has pushed its nuclear and ballistic missiles threats off by several years.
Still, those threats are not gone and could return. When they do, it is possible that a future US administration may be more reluctant to assist Israel and may even oppose such a strike.
In that case, the KC-46 will enable Israeli F-35s, F-16s, F15s, and others to have far better midair refueling capabilities.
Most of Iran is at least 1,500 kilometers away, with some parts as far as 2,000 kilometers away. The Yemen Houthis are mostly at least 1,800 kilometers away, with some parts beyond 2,000 kilometers.
Recently, the air force revealed that it has developed new, faster takeoff capabilities, enabling it to reach closer parts of Iran and return without refueling. The air force noted, however, that this has significantly limited the targets that can be hit within Iran and how long the aircraft can remain in the air if any part of the mission goes wrong or is delayed.
US to deliver at least six tanker aircraft to Israel
This Boeing KC-46 aircraft is the first of six tanker aircraft procured by the ministry’s Mission to the US and is part of a wide-scale force buildup program managed by the ministry on behalf of the IDF, which includes purchasing additional F-35s and new F-15IAs as part of a new NIS 350 billion decade-long budget focused on boosting future military power and independence.
According to the ministry, the tanker aircraft – designated as “Gideon” in Hebrew – will be equipped with Israeli systems and adapted to the air force’s operational requirements. This enables the aircraft to extend operational range and maintain air superiority across all theaters.
In July 2025, sources warned that Israeli delays in moving forward with aspects of its purchasing process allowed Japan and Italy to jump ahead of it in terms of receiving additional KC-46 aircraft.
In fact, there had been points when Israel could have received the KC-46 aircraft in 2025, though at the very start, 2026 was the expected delivery time.
In June 2023, The Jerusalem Post visited a Boeing KC-46 midair refueling aircraft at a conference in Paris and participated in a briefing within the aircraft with US pilot Capt. Cody Nelson.
Nelson, who has flown missions all over the world, said the KC-46 was “like a mobile gas tank” that carries 207,000 pounds of fuel and can refuel a wide variety of aircraft, including the F-35, F-16, F-15, and F-22 (which America possesses, but Israel does not), thereby covering Israel’s various combat aircraft.
If properly coordinated to allocate a certain amount of fuel, each KC-46 could refuel around a dozen aircraft, he said.
The KC-46 can fly 16 hours straight and up to 24 hours if it receives midair refueling from another aircraft, Nelson said.
Moreover, its advanced avionics and its transparent glass cockpit provide pilots a significantly improved visual outlook, he added.
The aircraft has other potential uses as well. The large aircraft can transport around 110 troops and also handle 22 different medical rescue situations, Nelson said.
The KC-46 is outfitted with a kitchen, an oven, a bathroom, and temperature controls that allow it to better regulate temperature, he said.