Summary

  • Wing of Zion, Israel’s new ‘Air Force One’, flew to the US without Netanyahu due to capacity issues.
  • The heavily customized Boeing 767 has faced delays, including a canceled official trip to Dubai in November.
  • The aircraft, criticized for cost and delays, reportedly cost over $100 million in refurbishments.

Israel’s new presidential aircraft – a Boeing 767 dubbed the ‘Wing of Zion’ – has embarked on its first official flight. The plane flew to the US on Tuesday and will return to Israel before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s state visit.

Wing of Zion flies to the US

The heavily customized Boeing 767-300ER departed Nevatim Airbase (VTM) on Tuesday at 12:10 local time, flying non-stop for almost 13 hours before landing at Andrews Air Force Base (ADW). This marked the first official trip of Israel’s new “Air Force One,” which has been a long time coming following multiple setbacks.

wing of zion flightradar24

Photo: Flightradar24

Notably, the aircraft did not carry Prime Minister Netanyahu; instead, it flew over equipment, security personnel and other delegates, and will have to fly back to Israel to collect Netanyahu due to capacity constraints.

The plane has faced several delays since it was first purchased by Israel in 2016. Having completed its first test flight in 2019, the 767 was certified by Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority in late 2021 but was placed in prolonged storage in the summer of 2022. It had been due to fly Netanyahu to a climate conference in Dubai last November, but the trip was canceled following the Hamas October 7 attacks.

Smaller than expected

The Wing of Zion was intended to have the capacity to seat around 80-100 passengers, given the sizable entourage accustomed to traveling with Heads of State, such as aides, journalists, and security teams. However, it was discovered last month that the plane would only be capable of carrying around 60 people, fueling more controversy regarding an already contentious program.

This has forced Israel to operate two separate flights rather than everything flying over in one journey, although the country reportedly considered making the latter with a stopover in Europe. According to a Times of Israel report, sources have stated that each transatlantic flight will cost over $200,000. Netanyahu is due to meet with US President Joe Biden and speak in front of US Congress on July 24th.

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The 767 underwent refurbishments to offer features like a private office, a bedroom with shower and a “situation room.” However, despite it being declared operational back in 2021, it never entered official service and was soon put into storage. It has faced fierce criticism from political opponents who argue it represents a symbol of corruption – the aircraft was initially reported to have cost upwards of 730 million shekels ($200 million), but Israel’s government has since confirmed it cost around 400 million shekels ($110 million).

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