Israel’s new spy aircraft is now ready to undergo flight testing, to be facilitated by the Israeli Air Force and Israel Aerospace Industries, following the completion of intelligence systems integration, i24NEWS reported.
The Oron aircraft is a Gulfstream G550 business jet equipped with sensors and data collection equipment to serve as an intelligence plane for the Israel Defense Forces.
Officials within the Ministry of Defense said Oron’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities will provide the IDF with the ability to counter threats and track multiple targets in real time over great distances and in all weather and visibility conditions.
The intelligence-gathering aircraft is the result of a partnership between the ministry, IAI’s Elta Group, and the IDF’s air force, intelligence corps and navy.
In April 2021, Janes reported the delivery of Oron at Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel for a two-year intelligence systems installation process. Avishai Izhakian, deputy general manager of Elta’s Airborne Systems and Radars Division, said at the time that Oron was being designed as a multibranch aircraft serving various services.
The report noted that Oron was expected to be more capable than the Israeli Air Forces’ Shavit signal intelligence plane and Eitam airborne early warning and control aircraft.
