The History and Controversy Surrounding Israel’s Presidential Plane, Zion Wing

2024-04-14 15:34:00

The presidential plane, Zion Wing, of Israel.

Foto: LLHZ2805 | Creative Commons

On Saturday, amid reports of the air attack launched by Iran against Israel, information emerged that the Israeli presidential plane, called “Zion Wing,” had left the territory of that country.

Fake news circulated, such as that the prime minister had left the country on the aircraft, which, of course, did not happen.

During a briefing at the beginning of the attack, when it was believed that it was only with drones, but not missiles, the main military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, confirmed that the “Wing of Zion”, described as the Israeli version of the “Air Force One” American, was in the air.

According to the spokesperson, the decision was due to operational considerations.

Aircraft tracking sites documented the trip of the presidential plane, a Boeing 767-338ER, registration 4X-ISR.

Based on these reports, Times of Israel reported that the aircraft left the Nevatim base, in the south of the country.

This is the same base where hours later the damage caused by Iran’s attack would be confirmed, which the regime of the Islamic Republic celebrated. Israel, however, said that it was material damage that did not prevent the base from continuing to operate.

Israel, which had operational support from allies such as the United States and the United Kingdom, claims that it managed to intercept 99% of the attacks. The Iron Dome and Arrow 3 defense systems were instrumental in the response.

The history of the airplane

Reporting on the plane’s takeoff, Times of Israel recalled that it is a presidential plane that has never been used. And the Israeli “Air Force One”, at least 20 years old, was purchased in 2014, during the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, in an operation surrounded by controversy.

The business was done with the airline Qantas, its previous owner, and it was not until 2016 that the plane flew from California to Israeli soil.

“The original budget for its purchase, conversion and modernization was 393 million shekels ($115 million), which by the time it first flew had increased by 50 percent to 580 million shekels,” Haaretz reported in 2021.

Although its first test flight was in 2019, the launch of its operation was delayed, among others, by the economic crisis that resulted from the covid pandemic, in the midst of which greater expenses on a presidential plane would have unleashed outrage. popular.

Then, there was a change of government, and the implementation remained to be seen.

It was originally arranged for almost 300 passengers, but with the adjustments Haaretz reported that that number would be reduced by half.

Among the improvements that were made is the incorporation of a system to be able to issue encrypted communications, as well as an anti-missile defense system.

According to the Times of Israel, it includes a private office for the prime minister, a bedroom with a bathroom and shower, a fully equipped kitchen, a meeting room and even a “war room.”

The same medium two years ago cited “a scathing report” by state comptroller Matanyahu Englman in which he noted that the “cost of an average flight aboard the new plane would be nearly double that of renting a private jet for official business.”

The outlet continued: “Englman also criticized the requirement for a plane with capacity for 100-120 people, even though the average prime minister’s flight only carries 61 people.”

That same year, in 2022, with the plane still stored in the desert, it was reported that after receiving final authorization the Zion Wing was ready to fly. At the beginning of last year, it completed a new test flight.

But as we said at the beginning, on Saturday, after takeoff, Times of Israel recalled that the plane intended to transport the prime minister has not yet fulfilled its mission.

This Sunday, the whereabouts of the expensive device have not yet been reported, although it is known that in the early hours of the morning Israel announced the reopening of its airspace.

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