"An attack on Iran will hurt them a lot, but it must be said honestly that we will also be absorbed" - voila! news

Brigadier General Gilad Kinan is defined as one of the oldest and most experienced fighter pilots of the Israeli Air Force, who participated in complex operations far from the country's borders, a brilliant mind for planning secret operations, one of the founders of the BBM (the campaign between the wars) in the last decade, one of the planners of the Air Force's revolutionary plan to attack 3,000 targets in Lebanon within a day.

He previously commanded the Ramon base and is currently the commander of the Nabatim air force base, which is the most involved in the IDF's readiness to attack the nuclear facilities in Iran due to the large number of squadrons and units under his command. There is an exclusive interview with Walla! about one of the most sensitive bases in the IDF.

Kenan, a member of Kibbutz Reim, married and the father of three, enlisted in 1994 for a pilot course and was trained as a fighter pilot.

Since then, he has exercised a lot of power at different ranges from the country's borders, accumulated 2,500 flight hours on an F-16, and another thousand on an F-15, a hundred or so on the "Adir" type stealth plane, and many hours on planes like Apache, Hercules, refueling planes, and others .

In addition, his field of expertise is long-term planning and attention to detail.

When he was the head of the depth branch in 2012, the BBM began under Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, "I remember the first attack in Syria. We built it from scratch. Its structure was not organized then. We did everything underground, and slowly it grew."

Already at the beginning of his words, he clarifies that the base under his command expands the envelope of the Air Force's performance because of the diversity and capabilities of the units in Nabatim.

The refueling squadron extends the ranges of the fighter jets.

"This includes special operations, which happen by the way all the time, and we don't know about them, in all kinds of places. I know how to be on all continents, there is no other base like this, which knows how to be on all continents," said Brigadier General Keenan and added, "We have God's formation Shimshonim, the YAK (a forward landing unit that knows how to turn an area far from the country's borders into an airport), independence of control and intelligence. I can go on. There is no operation in Iran without this thing. There is no substitute for it, without disrespecting anyone. Ramat David is closed. They will open in Tel View".

Brigadier General Gilad Kinan (Photo: IDF Spokesman)

Does it affect the sensitivity of the base under missile attack?

"The Prime Minister was very troubled by functional continuity, and then we explained it to him.

We showed him a statistical analysis of what it means to close a base.

Look how long it takes us to theoretically close a base.

Closing a base is a complicated thing.

I'm not saying it won't challenge us at all but we have good solutions.

I assume we will be a very high priority for damage, on the other hand our location is an advantage.

The threat is becoming more complex.

360 degrees."

"That's something else.

I have 3,000 or so flight hours on fighter jets.

And it brings something that other planes don't bring.

This is the first time I feel that in this plane the limitation is significantly the human and not the machine.

That is, he will give you what you will be able to do"

"

"The 'Red Flag' training, it was unusual.

This time it was just us and the Americans.

Intimate collaboration.

There was one more US F-35 squadron but the rest were F-16s and F-18s. We flew with refuelers. I think we were doing well. We flew with the Americans as blue force against F-16s and F-18s that simulated red (enemy) force. of the plane to build a picture that makes it possible to take control of the outline. After the first flight I spoke to the squadron commander. I told him, 'Listen, this is unusual'. I envy him. The 'Storm' plane that was picked up then was another upgrade to what I knew... in the mighty plane? It's not that I turned a page, I went through a library. A different library. Today there are 36 Adir planes in the army. One of them is an experimental plane. And they continue to receive more Adirs."

Brigadier General Kenan (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

Brigadier General Gilad Kinan refused to comment on the exact description of the joint training with the Americans, but clarified that the pilots trained together against a simulated enemy force at very far ranges, which suggests that they practiced capabilities that may be used to attack nuclear facilities in Iran, "to deliver seven single-seater planes to the United States, in the winter , to cross Atlantis. Do you know what kind of professional mission this is? It's hard for me to explain to you. I don't even know how to find the words to explain. I flew two legs in a Boeing 707 (AB fueled), and I flew from the east coast to the west coast in the USA.

In three leagues to the US, much longer than we need to attack Iran. 2 times. 7000 miles. 17 hours. We have 50 years of experience on a plane that refuels. Corporate memory. What they know how to do with this plane I'm not sure if there is another plane in the world who does it, because we stretch it to the limit in all aspects. Also in quality."

"After the flight to the USA?

My confidence just got stronger.

These are powerful capabilities - and I tell you this humbly."

"The preparedness process is not one or zero... Already today we have good answers, not excellent, in response to Iran.

Not full.

Not 100%.

But we know how to hurt a lot.

We will probably be absorbed too, we have to say honestly.

I think the more time we have we will be even more ready.

We are dealing with it."

"Yes. To tell you that I am in the same situation as a year ago? No."

"If I'm talking in the sense of affairs, then there are more affairs, more windows, like in the world of computers, there are many windows that suddenly open for me and I have to jump between them. There are more. To tell you that we have reached the height of a flame that here in a second it will explode? I don't know. I don't Surely we have reached a point of no return."

"Without going into details, I have seven topics in my work plan.

Why?

I could put 70. But it will be difficult to understand what is important to me.

Within the seven there are people, advanced training, etc., and I have two operational issues.

One of the routine of activity and absorption of the tremendous array.

and third circuit (Iran).

A program that I check quarterly.

The occupation is on a weekly basis.

And there is military control.

What is the subject of my most important operational occupation in contrast to the others?

It is this".

Brigadier General Kenan (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

MBM. You are one of the planners of the process. More than ten years have passed. The level of threat to the Air Force has increased.

January 2013. First attack on MBM. cruise) in Salah Sahar in Syria.

You say the level of threat to the Air Force increased despite the air force strikes. What would have happened if we hadn't done that? I think it slowed the pace. We attacked the sa-17 battalion that was supposed to be in the hands of Hezbollah. It's not like if we hadn't attacked them They would say: 'Well, we won't move him.' If we hadn't attacked, he would be in Lebanon today."

"This trailer is at the T-4 base. They thought it was the safest place in the world. I was the cell commander in this event. A defining event. I was an attack commander.

One of the moments that scarred me quite a bit.

For better or for worse?

Depends on the world view.

If you didn't collapse from it then it strengthened you.

I had a fracture there.

In general, the process of before.

in my analysis.

I'm talking about myself.

My sin of hubris.

It was a time when we worked like crazy, felt overconfident, and were very complacent in the planning of this specific operation.

It was fertile ground to make this operational failure.

The mental place.

I feel that there on a personal level I did not know how to identify this process about myself and my department.

In this context it helped us a lot.

The price of learning is lower than this (pilot and navigator abandoned and were rescued. The plane crashed AB).

Regarding the air defense effect? ​​Look at the Iranian presence in Syria. It exists, but ask yourself if we wouldn't have done anything if there wasn't a port now under Iranian control, an airport under Iranian control, none of this is happening today."

"The measure of the threat is not the quantity but the quality of the missiles. Is the threat increasing? Yes. Is it still at the threshold that we are operating within a sufficient margin of safety? Unequivocally yes. We are not taking a crazy risk. The goal is not to reach an all-out war. We are still working at the margin of risk The Iranians are constantly trying to introduce a high-quality weapon. Also to diversify it. To refine the picture of threats from different directions. But we are also progressing and improving."

"If we didn't do the BBM?

In terms of air-to-surface missiles, he was somewhere else.

Even in precision missiles he was in a different place.

We didn't hold him to zero in everything.

Look, they also have endless resources and anything like that you wear out is a painful blow.

From 2013 to 2023 you gained a decade.

How do I know what would have happened?

It may be that he would have gained enough strength by 2016 that he would have said it was 'time to attack them'.

It didn't happen."

"I will answer in this way. I suppose that an ordinary citizen who sees a YAM fighter entering the Kasbah in Nablus will say 'Wow.'

On the other hand, when the fighter enters there, he is fully confident that he will go out and destroy everyone on the way... I think I feel the same as him...".

"We attached her to Wing 7. Special Forces Command. It did us a lot of good in training. She's doing her training with 669 and Sheld. We're opening it up to women now. Everything that allows women to be in it only praises us. Everything I said makes it possible to do special operations with an array The c-130 planes and its relative advantages, you need such a unit to open a performance line, you can't land where you want, etc. Therefore, in a super relevant unit. Especially since the cost of a third circle (Iran) is rising, you want capabilities that will allow the expansion The envelope of capabilities of the Air Force. These are capabilities that expand the envelope of performance of the Air Force. You are bound to airports for this purpose, you are bound. Today you know how to open any place in the Middle East. Not even in the Middle East."

I asked if he wanted to say a word about the activities of the Eitam and Nachshon planes, which constitute an air control and intelligence collection unit, and suddenly the information security officer intervened and said: "No."

He nevertheless insisted on explaining, "This squadron is also involved in all the current operational challenges of the Air Force. The defense of the country's skies. The third circle, including flight security in the Air Force, etc. Has the Negev Defenders unit, which is responsible for base security

" We kept the size.

I would like to grow, but there is a resource challenge, and we are competing with the entire army.

Netzah Yehuda is the source.

Still to me it's a super beautiful project but it's not growing.

I try and fail.

The operational product is high compared to other bases that don't have them."

Brigadier General Kenan (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

When I asked about the contribution of the Shamshon planes, the base commander singled out a point of view from which we can learn about operations that require a significant logistical response, "There was something here that seemed to be swallowed up... in Operation 'Olive Branches', one of the largest operations that have been supplied here in recent decades. 110 tons of equipment in one night. This is what happened once. This means that there were above cargo compartments that were loaded in one night with equipment that arrived here from scratch and was transported for the purposes of dealing with an earthquake in Turkey. Also a rescue mission and a field hospital." Can you comment on the protests and refusals? "The fact that you use the

refusal It's a narrative I don't accept.

I'll tell you why.

It's not that I'm scared of the word reluctance.

But the very saying of refusal means that you ordered someone to do something that they did not do.

For real?

It didn't happen at any point.

There wasn't one I told him to do something and he didn't do it.

If I ordered him and he would say no, that he didn't come, that's already something else.

Didn't happen once."

"It is important to understand what reservists are in the Air Force. In all operational activity, including the third circle, 40-45% are reservists. And I am not talking only about pilots. Control, control - there is no Air Force without reservists. It is important that we break away from this thinking: we will manage without reservists The Air Force is regular and reserve. It's one. That's how the model is built. That's why it's impossible to disconnect. In BA 28, and as far as I know in the Air Force in general, there was no one who was told about it and he didn't come.

Maybe in the operational headquarters.

in some places.

Therefore, it is not correct to call it refusal in my eyes.

As long as I am in the people's army model and I bring here people from all over the country with a variety of opinions, species and creeds, I want the only thing that will be common to all of them is the mission and anything else will be a disturbance for me.

This disorder has entered the army and I don't need to wash.

It harmed the Air Force in my view, and there are also people who were involved in intensifying the harm to the Air Force."

"All kinds of people. From the highest level you can imagine, and below."

"Zero effect on operational activity and zero effect on competence"

"There was noise. There was 'I'm coming on Wednesday because on Thursday I'm at an event'."

"If you go to an underground shelter today (the place where the planes are located) you won't see any of these stories."

And in the heart?

"I don't test kidneys and heart, but it was here. When you implant an idea, then the idea can develop. In practice. In my opinion, compared to the forces in the world, the Air Force is the most efficient in terms of the ratio of people per platform. This means that I have zero fats. This means that you remove someone from the squad ? And I'm not talking about the technician who handed me the plane. I'm also talking to you about the guy who is responsible for the landscaping here at the base. Try to fly where the whole base is grass and there are birds coming in. Everything is connected. There is no unnecessary link in the chain, so talking about positions is irrelevant in the professional context , because it is clear to everyone that there is no mission without any of the squads. It has nothing to do with whether you are a pilot or whether you are the one who makes the food... in the kitchen."

I'm not coming'.

By the way, you can tell me straight out: 'If this happens, I'm not going to come.'

Excellent.

Don't make statements.

It may be that in their eyes this thing achieved a great feat.

I think the damage it did to the Air Force is not good.

"In my analysis, I may be naive, we are so far from this point that there is no point in talking about this right now. I would also suggest in this matter to be a bit of a digital creator. We. The IDF.

Airforce.

Our mission is to protect the State of Israel from an external threat.

Every blink we make in this matter harms this mission."

"The answer is yes and no. I have to imagine such a scenario. The second thing I tell you is if there is a doomsday scenario we will call it where 40% of the Air Force's order of forces do not arrive. It is clear that the Air Force cannot work at the same output. This is not a reasonable scenario in my eyes. I think that if there is an event like this the absolute majority will come. I'm telling you. People who have been doing it for years are unusually committed. It won't happen. Therefore, I think when such a scenario is unrealistic. If they don't come I have no substitute for him. I don't can invent other people. I think the damage caused to the Air Force requires a change in conduct."

"Ours too. And in my opinion, in my conversation with my reservists"

"And I keep reminding myself that these aren't people who landed on the moon. These are guys who sat in my chair until recently. And I say that because they don't see from my close angle the damage it creates within the organization, their judgment is flawed and I think they acted incorrectly. I I also tell them that."

Brigadier General Kenan (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

Are you worried about a scenario in Walls Keeper 2 of violence on the axes around the base and fences?

"I must be worried. I work with two hands. One hand is to be prepared for the scenario and to be very aggressive. There is a delicate seam here because what is outside the fence is the Israel Police. In this context, I will not blink. If there is a car standing at the entrance to the S.G. for more than ten minutes We use force on him. I don't get confused by using force. On the other hand, we cooperate. We go to school.

I meet with all the leaders all the time.

And it is still possible that in an emergency there will be an event here.

The relationship with them is that I will be able to pick up the phone to them in real time.

'Take control' and on the other hand I will be able to be aggressive with the police and security forces."

"Technological personnel. Engineers. Programmers. That's an area. I have a gap between what is happening in the economy and the army. The values ​​and the mission fail to bridge it."

"I have an executive squadron commander at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

I had a flight squadron commander.

She is now studying in the USA. I have an engine division commander who will be a lieutenant colonel in the technological headquarters of Helak Equipment.

I'm already 50/50 in tech."

"I have 4 branch commanders.

Majors. Including the commander of my personnel division who led it."

From the Arab sector is there in the base?

"I had an officer in ground defense. We have a high single-digit number. We have an opponent whose head of the ground defense division is a Bedouin."

"We are in such a time that we are constantly being radicalized. We like to divide this world into good and bad. Technicians and pilots into leftists and rightists. The event that takes place in BHA 28, and I think it is true for all BHA, is more harmonious than polarized. The problem is that this discourse is at the end It's people. They consume communication in a much more significant way. When I was a young 23-year-old in the squadron, how much communication did I consume in a week? I don't know. An hour on Friday. And this thing we are constantly busy giving the complete picture not only from the extreme angle. Because if you go to social networks you Being in the extreme angle won't help anything. There is an algorithm that only puts in your angle and arranges you. And you are sure that the whole world is upside down from you. We are constantly looking for what connects and arranges. We have people programs that touch all sections on the other side and officers in the first, including veterans. A selected program of 25 members "E. Meetings. Israeli development and leadership. That's why life itself is much more harmonious than these gitz."

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