The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has received a major upgrade to its vital but aging air refueling capabilities, as the first American-made KC-46 tanker was delivered to Israel today.
For Jerusalem, this news could not come soon enough. But the Pentagon cannot rest on its laurels, and needs to consider new, smart ideas for how to enable Israel’s tanker force to grow in the coming years.
Israel’s current inventory of refueling tankers is reported to include no more than seven Boeing 707 “Re’em” aircraft. Originally commercial craft, Israel began acquiring and modifying the planes for refueling purposes in 1979. These aircraft are likely as old as the parents of some the Israeli pilots flying them.
Following the 2020 US approval to sell up to eight KC-46As to Israel, Israel signed an order in 2022 for four KC-46s, with an additional two tankers purchased in August 2025. That latter order cost approximately $500 million, “funded through U.S. aid,” referring to the annual allotment of Foreign Military Financing the United States provides Israel. Two KC-46s are expected to be delivered in 2026, with two more arriving in 2027.
No formal decision has been made yet on the 7th and 8th KC-46s that Israel could potentially order, and Israeli defense budgets and decisions related to US foreign military financing may play a role on when, if ever, Israel moves forward to purchase those aircraft.
