Israel’s defense establishment is considering purchasing a maritime patrol and multirole aircraft designed primarily to detect submarines, according to an IDF source.
The aircraft, the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, is based on a commercial passenger jet that was converted for military use and developed for the US Navy. It is now operated by several countries worldwide.
The aircraft carries a nine-member crew, including seven mission commanders and technicians who operate its advanced systems. It has an operational radius of 2,200 kilometers in maritime environments and can be refueled in flight to extend its range.
The aircraft is equipped with advanced maritime search radar, acoustic sensors, automatic identification systems, electro-optical and infrared sensors, and vapor sensors for detecting diesel submarines. It can also carry various weapons for use against vessels above and below the surface, including torpedoes, bombs, and naval mines.
The IDF currently operates the “Oron,” an advanced strategic intelligence and surveillance aircraft used by the Israel Air Force. The aircraft is considered unique because it can support operations involving several branches and agencies, including the air force, military intelligence, the Navy, and the Defense Ministry.
A source familiar with the details said the IDF currently maintains a very high level of anti-submarine warfare capability.
The source added that discussions about acquiring the P-8 were known within the defense establishment, but that purchasing the aircraft would be extremely costly for the IDF, particularly under the current circumstances. This could change if the aircraft were included in a broader diplomatic agreement with the White House.
What threat does Turkey pose to Israel?
Purchasing the aircraft is one of several options being considered amid concerns within the defense establishment that increasingly inflammatory and extreme rhetoric from senior Turkish officials against Israel could eventually translate into action and lead to friction with the IDF.
The closest such incident occurred in recent years, when Turkey threatened to escort a protest flotilla to the Gaza Strip with missile ships. The proposal was ultimately abandoned following extensive diplomatic pressure from Israel and the US.
Israel is now handling matters involving the Turkish military with particular sensitivity. Turkey is a NATO member, and its military previously maintained extensive cooperation with Israel, including joint air force and naval exercises. Relations, however, have deteriorated over the past decade and a half, culminating in hostility in recent years.
Alongside the Egyptian navy, which is undergoing a military buildup that includes expanding its submarine fleet, the Turkish navy is considered one of the largest and most powerful in the Middle East and among NATO member states.
Its capabilities have expanded in recent years through purchases from foreign countries, including Germany, as well as the development of locally manufactured equipment.
The Turkish navy operates more than 10 active diesel-electric submarines. The oldest are used mainly for training and are being withdrawn from service, while a new series of submarines equipped with air-independent propulsion systems is under construction.
The Turkish fleet also includes frigates, corvettes, missile ships, fast patrol vessels, amphibious forces, and drone carriers.
Shikli: War with Turkey 'could happen as early as tomorrow'
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli warned of the growing threat from Turkey during a conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, N12 News reported.
"There could be direct contact with the Turkish army at sea," said Chikli. "This is not an impossible scenario; it could happen as early as tomorrow morning."
Turkish anti-Israel rhetoric has come under fire from several Israeli politicians, including Chikli, who accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of "bigotry" over his criticism of the Jewish state despite Israeli humanitarian contributions to his country, according to N12.
"The State of Israel sent a huge delegation to rescue Turkish citizens in the largest earthquake to hit the country in recent years," said Chikli, describing Turkey's attitude towards Israel as "beyond imagination."
He emphasized that, at one point, Israel had actually saved Erdogan's life by sending an Israeli doctor to treat his cancer.
Chikli went on to describe Erdogan as a "dictator," or a "combination of Hitler and Sinwar."
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.