Controlled chaos: Inside Israel's air traffic during unprecedented US-Israel strikes - interview
It was the most complex, dangerous, and historic day since the establishment of the Israeli Air Force's air traffic control. Hundreds of aircraft of every possible type were returning simultaneously.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) detailed the complexities of air traffic control during the joint US-Israel war with Iran in a recent interview with Walla. As hundreds of aircraft returned from precision strikes inside Iran, air traffic controllers faced an unprecedented challenge in coordinating an enormous amount of military and civilian traffic. This day marked the most complex and historic since the establishment of the IAF's air traffic control.
Controllers had to synchronize thousands of aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, refuelers, drones, and civilian flights, operating at different altitudes and overlapping flight paths. The situation was further complicated by the need for real-time calibration against incoming missiles and suicide drones launched from Iran and Lebanon.
On the day of Operation Roaring Lion, air traffic controllers were on high alert, dealing with split-second decisions to keep the skies safe. The IAF commander emphasized the importance of surprise and prepared contingency plans for various potential threats. After the strikes, the air traffic control system faced a barrage of reports on battle damage assessment, adding to the already intense workload.
Air traffic controllers underwent years of training for such situations, and their role was crucial in enabling aircrews to carry out precise airstrikes against numerous targets.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Inside Israel's endless manhunt for the October 7th terrorists israelnationalnews.com
