כיכר השבת

Israeli Air Force Completes Firefighting Support Mission in Cyprus

The Israeli Air Force concluded a mission involving 32 drops of firefighting payloads, containing approximately 35 tons of fire-retardant material, as part of international efforts to combat wildfires in Cyprus. The drops were executed by “Shimshon” (Super Hercules) aircraft from the “Elephants” Squadron (103rd Squadron).The operation was carried out in coordination with Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service, which supplied the Air Force with fire-retardant materials and specialized drop containers for the aerial firefighting mission.The Air Force’s Loading Unit (757), which specializes in preparing firefighting payloads and adapting transport aircraft for such tasks, also participated in the operation.The Air Force’s “Shimshon” aircraft are the only ones globally certified to conduct firefighting drops at night and in challenging terrain.