Israeli Air Force’s Independence Day flyover returns after pandemic break
On 2 April 2020, the newspaper The Times of Israel announced that Israel is gearing up to mark its 73rd Independence Day with an aerial salute to the public following a challenging year of pandemic. In 2020, the Independance Day events were mostly canceled during a nationwide lockdown.
According to a spokesman of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), the annual Independence Day flyby, a popular and iconic feature of celebrations, will pass over more towns than usual to salute all the citizens of Israel. Unlike last year, crowds will be allowed to gather to watch the jets and other military aircraft zoom by following the major lifting of coronavirus restrictions.
The flyover will include F-15 Baz/Ra’am, F-16 Barak, F-16I Sufa, and F-35I Adir fighter aircraft; the M346i Lavi training aircraft; the C-130 Karnaf and C-130J Shimshon; and the Boeing B707 Re’em. The S-70 Yanshuf, CH-53 Yassur, AS565 Atalef and AH-64A/D Peten/Saraf helicopters are also scheduled to take part in the flyby, known in Israel as the matas between 10:30 hrs LT and 13:00 hrs LT on 15 April 2021.
Additionally, the T-6A Efroni aerobatic aircraft are planned to fly four aircraft in formation around the country between 8:45 hrs LT and 15:00 hrs LT. The aerobatics will be seen over Tiberias, Nahariya, Acre, Haifa, Tel Aviv beach, Ashdod beach, Ashkelon beach, Jerusalem’s Sacher and Independence parks, as well as the southern city of Beersheba. A more detailed schedule, as well as an app to track the flight locations, will be released closer to the time, the IDF Spokesman said.
In 2020, during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel, the aerobatics performance saluted medical staff over the nation’s hospitals. This year, the official state Memorial Day and Independence Day ceremonies will be held on 13-15 April, but with smaller crowds than usual. All participants will be required to carry a Green Passport - proof of vaccination with both anti-COVID-19 doses, or recovery from the virus.
Municipalities will be permitted to hold indoor and outdoor Independence Day celebrations for the vaccinated.
Photos: Israeli Defence Force, Amit Agronov and Jack Guez/AFP