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29:
506:($ 115 million), which by the time it first flew had grown by 50 percent to 580 million shekels. Operating the plane is expected to cost taxpayers 44.6 million shekels annually. Buying a dedicated plane was criticized – especially after it vastly exceeded the original budget – and its inauguration was postponed several times. In 2020 it was reported that the office of then Prime Minister
460:
intelligence officials complained about the inability to relay sensitive information to the prime minister during flights on chartered aircraft, which lacked encrypted systems. Another problem that stemmed from security reasons was that of unforeseen setbacks: in 2019, prime minister
Netanyahu was forced to postpone a return flight from
482:
The state airplane took its first official flight on July 16, 2024, carrying equipment and some members of the security delegation for an upcoming visit of
Netanyahu to the United States. Due to space constraints, the plane would take two separate trips a week apart, with the second flight carrying
455:
have been used for long-range transcontinental travel. Until recently, in anticipation of an international trip, the defense ministry used to issue a competitive bidding tender to
Israeli airlines, to transport the prime minister. However, since El Al has been the only airline to operate long-range
495:
passenger aircraft, which formerly belonged to
Australian Airlines and Qantas and was, at the time of its purchase by Israel, about 20 years old. The plane arrived in Israel in 2016 and was converted by 2019 at a cost of $ 207 million. It includes a private office for the prime minister, a bedroom
459:
However, the practice of commercial VIP transportation was criticized several times over multiple issues of concern, primarily of that of security: the aircraft designated to transport executive officials lacked encrypted communications. This issue was highlighted in 2014, when senior
Israeli
513:
On
December 7, 2021, after provoking controversy as to its necessity and cost, the aircraft received final approval and completed its registration and inspection process by the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority. Despite its readiness, the subsequent prime ministers
476:, pending a decision on its future use. Various proposals were raised including its conversion into a military fuel tanker or alternatively its sale for civilian use after all high-level defense and communication mechanisms would be removed.
936:
373:(AAR) duties, were quickly converted to support transport duties whenever summoned. However, key disadvantages of the planes were their age and their inability to operate transatlantic routes without the need for refueling.
464:
when the Boeing 777 he had boarded was accidentally damaged by a ground vehicle just ahead of takeoff. Another incident involving
Netanyahu occurred in 2023, when the 777 which had been designated to transport him to
204:
Commissioned in 2014, its conversion into a transport aircraft was completed in 2019. It made its first operational flight abroad in
February 2024 and was first used for an official visit in support of Prime Minister
618:
416:
Since the beginning of the 2000s, senior officials of the
Israeli government, including the president and the prime minister, have been transported abroad using commercial airliners leased by the
286:
cargo transports, which were capable of long-range flights, to serve as a VIP aircraft for ministerial visits abroad. The planes, which were originally civilian airliners in the service of
436:
both opted to travel commercially on long-range international routes. Nevertheless, for security reasons, senior executive officials were only allowed to travel using
Israeli airlines.
479:
In January 2023, with the return to power of PM Netanyahu, the plane was returned to readiness. On April 13, 2024, the plane took off from Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel.
510:
had ordered the plane be grounded, fearing it would draw criticism during a major economic crisis with mounting unemployment as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
1170:
171:
1064:
428:. Although coming into force in the early 2000s, the practice of transporting Israeli officials overseas commercially was exercised in the 1970s; prime ministers
290:, were purchased secondhand by the IAF in 1962 and reconfigured to cargo-transport configurations. One of the Stratocruisers in the IAF's inventory, FX-FPY
909:
1194:
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was delayed for several hours, on account of several El Al pilots refusing to operate the plane in protest against his policies.
179:
1204:
392:
during their respective tenures in office. Simultaneously, another 707 jet that had originally been used by Egyptian president
338:
1156:
472:
In May 2022 it was announced that it would be transferred to maintenance storage in an especially constructed hangar at the
762:
1117:
1199:
417:
567:
1189:
366:
837:
255:
725:
816:
283:
183:
636:
Bar-On, Mordechai (1991) . "David Ben-Gurion and the Sèvres Collusion". In W. Roger Louis; Roger Owen (eds.).
270:
251:
247:
227:
95:
707:
76:
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during his official visit to Egypt in 1979. Another aircraft, the No. 272, served prime ministers
798:
507:
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444:
381:
206:
190:
34:
689:
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651:
365:), and also purchased secondhand from commercial airliners, were converted to military use by
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63:
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671:
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From the 1970s onwards, the IAF opted to conduct VIP transport duties using its inventory of
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370:
239:
187:
1038:
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wide-body aircraft, several prime ministers have customarily chosen it over other options.
400:
and later sold by Egypt in 2005, was also purchased by the IAF in 2011 for AAR/VIP duties.
1128:
1012:
515:
473:
274:
A Pan Am Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, similar to the one that the IAF used for VIP transport.
1008:"State plane makes inaugural flight to US for PM's visit; will have to come back for him"
642:(Online ed.). New York: Oxford University Press; Oxford Academic. pp. 145–160.
553:
433:
412:
An El Al Boeing 777, similar to the ones that are chartered for official visits abroad.
377:
222:
1183:
910:"Netanyahu set to bring Israel's version of Air Force One out of mothballs, into use"
892:"Israel's Air Force One being mothballed before even making first operational flight"
874:"After apparent boycott, El Al says pilots found to staff Netanyahu's flight to Rome"
425:
389:
354:
243:
28:
525:
As of 2024, each transcontinental flight on the plane costs more than $ 200,000.
393:
327:
302:
on a 25,000 km (16,000 mi) trip to several African nations, including
299:
259:
962:"No longer mothballed, Israel's 'Air Force One' completes further test flight"
519:
452:
448:
440:
429:
385:
351:
311:
50:
744:"Gantz lands in Bahrain to sign security agreements, in first official visit"
502:
The original budget for its purchase, conversion and upgrade was 393 million
586:"'Wing of Zion,' prime minister's new plane, completes maiden test flight"
937:"Israel's Brand-new AF1 Is Mothballed in the Desert. Here's the Solution"
254:(IDF) to travel domestically to visit several military fronts during the
439:
Currently, for short-range international flights, El Al's inventory of
323:
319:
194:
1136:
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175:
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155:
71:
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On November 3, 2019, the aircraft conducted its first test flight.
466:
421:
407:
337:
303:
269:
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369:(IAI). The 707s, which were originally designated by the IAF for
186:
overseas during international visits. The aircraft is a modified
315:
298:), was used by the IAF in 1966 to transport then-prime minister
856:"PM forced to spend extra night in Warsaw after plane damaged"
838:"Netanyahu pitches for better plane to convey Israeli leaders"
619:"Inside Israel's Controversial $ 260 Million 'Air Force One'"
483:
the rest of the entourage of aides, guards, and journalists.
1090:"Bennett undecided as Israel's 'Air Force One' ready to fly"
242:
utilized military propeller-driven aircraft such as the
1144:
443:
aircraft have been customarily used, while the larger
226:
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion standing next to his
781:"Pilots Say Israeli Plane Nearly Hit Premier's Jet"
132:
127:
119:
94:
86:
56:
46:
41:
21:
376:One of the 707s, the No. 118, flew prime minister
817:"Prime minister's private jet flying over-budget"
1065:"Netanyahu's Controversial New 'Air Force One'"
540:
538:
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1032:
1030:
613:
611:
609:
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605:
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8:
832:
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726:"Boeing 707-366C Re'em - Israel - Air Force"
209:'s visit to the United States in July 2024.
763:"Prime minister Netanyahu's platinum plane"
1171:
1157:
1039:"בלעדי: תמונות ראשונות של מטוס ראש הממשלה"
639:Suez 1956: The Crisis and its Consequences
18:
648:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202417.003.0008
1001:
999:
997:
568:"4X-ISR ISRAEL AIR FORCE BOEING 767-300"
534:
496:suite, a meeting room, and a war room.
16:Government transport aircraft of Israel
672:"Boeing 377/C-97 Stratocruiser (Anak)"
234:In the immediate months following the
935:Pfeffer, Anshel (November 28, 2022).
7:
1125:
1123:
805:. 15 February 2017. JPost Editorial.
1143:. You can help Knowledge (XXG) by
690:"Boeing 707 Israel's Desert Giant"
14:
522:decided not to use the aircraft.
357:. The lot of the 707s, nicknamed
1135:This article about transport in
1127:
761:Maital, Shlomo (22 March 2019).
27:
1195:Air transport of heads of state
178:, tasked with transporting the
1:
398:historic 1977 visit to Israel
172:government transport aircraft
1006:Berman, Lazar (2024-07-06).
799:"Israel's Own Air Force One"
367:Israel Aerospace Industries
282:(IAF) opted to utilize its
260:1956 Arab-Israeli conflicts
238:, inaugural prime minister
168:: جناح صهيون, Janah Sahyoun
1221:
1122:
546:"OPÉRATEURS DE L'APPAREIL"
236:creation of Israel in 1948
197:airliner belonging to the
346:, used for VIP transport.
26:
284:Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
708:"Israeli Air Force One"
296:Princess of the Pacific
1205:Israel transport stubs
712:www.globalsecurity.org
413:
347:
275:
231:
572:www.planespotters.net
411:
355:jet-powered airliners
341:
273:
252:Israel Defense Forces
228:Douglas C-47 Skytrain
225:
371:air-to-air refueling
170:) is the principal
1200:Individual aircraft
1118:767 production list
916:. November 18, 2022
862:. 15 February 2019.
823:. 21 December 2017.
625:. 14 December 2021.
418:Ministry of Defense
294:(formerly Pan Am's
123:Israeli Air Force 1
87:Construction number
77:Australian Airlines
42:General information
1190:Aviation in Israel
1037:Blumenthal, Itai.
968:. January 30, 2023
787:. 26 October 1970.
785:The New York Times
750:. 2 February 2022.
592:. 3 November 2019.
508:Benjamin Netanyahu
445:wide-body aircraft
414:
382:Benjamin Netanyahu
348:
342:An IAF Boeing 707
278:In the 1960s, the
276:
232:
207:Benjamin Netanyahu
35:Ben Gurion Airport
1152:
1151:
988:"planefinder.net"
730:www.airliners.net
657:978-0-19-820241-7
280:Israeli Air Force
250:belonging to the
199:Israeli Air Force
149:
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142:(Post Conversion)
64:Israeli Air Force
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552:. Archived from
550:www.airfleets.fr
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493:Boeing 767-338ER
240:David Ben-Gurion
188:Boeing 767-338ER
51:Boeing 767-338ER
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914:Times of Israel
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898:. May 25, 2022.
896:Times of Israel
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880:. 5 March 2023.
878:Times of Israel
872:
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860:Times of Israel
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516:Naftali Bennett
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474:Nevatim Airbase
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176:State of Israel
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139:3 November 2019
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1112:External links
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1145:expanding it
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1097:. Retrieved
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1072:. Retrieved
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1047:. Retrieved
1042:
1017:. Retrieved
1011:
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970:. Retrieved
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944:. Retrieved
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918:. Retrieved
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842:Reuters News
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390:Ariel Sharon
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295:
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244:Douglas DC-3
233:
213:Predecessors
203:
164:Knaf Tzion,
163:
159:
152:Wing of Zion
151:
150:
133:First flight
96:Registration
22:Wing of Zion
1049:26 November
1045:(in Hebrew)
920:20 November
694:www.key.aer
424:, Israel's
394:Anwar Sadat
334:1970s-2000s
328:Ivory Coast
300:Levi Eshkol
266:1950s-1960s
218:1940s-1950s
1184:Categories
1099:7 December
529:References
520:Yair Lapid
449:Boeing 767
441:Boeing 737
430:Golda Meir
386:Ehud Barak
352:Boeing 707
312:Madagascar
120:Radio code
106:(Formerly:
68:(Formerly:
33:4X-ISR at
180:President
90:MSN 30186
1074:5 August
1043:ynet.com
491:It is a
487:Aircraft
326:and the
191:widebody
160:כנף ציון
1069:Haaretz
1019:22 July
972:July 1,
946:July 1,
941:Haaretz
623:Haaretz
504:shekels
396:on his
324:Senegal
320:Liberia
195:twinjet
174:of the
128:History
112:VH-OGV)
1137:Israel
1094:Globes
654:
462:Poland
308:Uganda
292:Masada
288:Pan Am
166:Arabic
156:Hebrew
109:N376CM
103:4X-ISR
72:Qantas
57:Owners
1139:is a
467:Italy
422:El Al
420:from
359:Re’em
344:Re’em
316:Congo
304:Kenya
1141:stub
1101:2021
1076:2020
1051:2019
1021:2024
974:2023
948:2023
922:2022
652:ISBN
518:and
451:and
432:and
388:and
363:Oryx
258:and
256:1948
248:C-47
246:and
182:and
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644:doi
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
