The Israeli air force has officially been renamed the air and space arm of the Israel defence forces, assuming responsibility for the country’s military plans in space. The new organisation will define the number of intelligence satellites and types of payload required to collect data about hostile countries, and will operate planned defence communications and synthetic-aperture radar intelligence satellites. It will also co-ordinate efforts by Israeli industry to develop micro-satellites for intelligence and communications missions.
Meanwhile, the service has launched major upgrades to its Boeing 707 tanker aircraft and Sikorsky CH-53 assault helicopter fleets. The former will receive Honeywell glass cockpits and minor airframe changes to bring them up to a common standard, but plans to re-engine them have been rejected.
The air force’s 22 Aerial Maintenance unit will perform an extensive systems upgrade to its CH-53s to keep the type – which underwent an avionics modernisation in the 1990s – in operation until 2025.
Arie Egozi / Tel Aviv
Source: Flight International
