New Irish government jet ‘can’t land in fog’ after ministers demanded Israeli
The Irish government's new €53 million jet may be restricted from landing in poor weather because ministers ordered the removal of an Israeli-made navigation system. The decision stems from a government policy to boycott Israeli-manufactured products.
Why it matters
This situation illustrates the practical operational challenges and potential safety trade-offs that arise when political foreign policy decisions intersect with military and government procurement.
The Irish government’s new jet may not be able to land in fog or rough weather after ministers ordered the removal of an Israeli-made navigation system, it has been reported. The aircraft, a €53m Dassault Falcon 6X jet, was delivered to Dublin for use by officials just before Christmas last year. The previous governmental plane was a Lear Jet, which was retired due to technical difficulties and its comparatively shorter range. However, multiple sources reportedly confirmed to Irish outlet The Journal that the system used to help the new plane land in low-visibility weather was removed because it was made by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence firm which has contracts with the IDF. The tech, known as FalconEye, is usually placed in the aircraft’s nose and is used to improve visibility for the pilots by providing a live view of the landing site.
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