An inside look at how the pilots get trained on simulators before they get sent thousands of miles to defend Israel, including in Yemen and Iran.
Entering the Israeli Air Force’s Hatzor Base, near Ashdod, one might think nothing has changed in recent years. But as you proceed into the heart of the facility, it becomes clear that what was will never be the same again.
The base is busier than ever, and encounters with younger and older airmen alike testify that we are in the midst of war. This young generation has been busy protecting the homeland for 15 months now.
A decade ago, this writer was here for an Independence Day story, trying out the simulator that pilots use to maintain operational readiness in case they need to respond quickly. Since then, our world has been turned upside down, and suddenly, alongside training and long hours in the simulator, it seems our pilots are logging the same hours in the real thing, in the skies of the Middle East.