The Israeli Air Force has commenced operations of a new observation aircraft named ‘Oron’ during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The development of Oron was a collaborative effort between various organizations, including the Department of Defense Research and Development [DDR&D], the IAF, the Israeli Intelligence Corps, the Israeli Navy, and Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries.
Oron is based on a Gulfstream G550 business jet, equipped with advanced sensors and next-generation C4ISR systems that provide unprecedented intelligence capabilities. It uses artificial intelligence algorithms to process vast amounts of data quickly.
“What makes ‘Oron’ unique is its ability to carry out a wide variety of intelligence tasks in the same sortie and transmit in real time to all the relevant parties,” the Israel Ministry of Defense explained in a statement. “It is equipped with advanced sensors that allow it to scan large and distant field cells with a sufficiency of information that the IDF did not have from a single collection vessel and at large ranges from Israel or the tracked targets.”
According to the Israel Ministry of Defense, Oron became operational during the so-called Operation Iron Swords [the Israel Defense Forces’ campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023 – ed. note]. It has already logged hundreds of operational flight hours and close to 100 sorties.