Overview
- The Israeli Air Force held a ceremony at Palmachim Airbase to formally reopen Squadron 193 and assign it to maritime support duties for the navy.
- The squadron will operate SH-60F Seahawk helicopters, called Shelach in Israeli service, which bring longer range, greater endurance, larger cabin capacity, and advanced maritime sensors compared with the retired Atalef helicopters.
- Three Seahawks have arrived in Israel so far, with two more expected later this year, and two of the delivered aircraft are undergoing integration work and flight testing before full operational use.
- Squadron 193 will work directly with the Navy’s Missile Boat Flotilla to carry out reconnaissance, surveillance, search-and-rescue, ship resupply, force insertion, and naval support missions that protect Israel’s maritime approaches.
- The unit revives a force first formed in 1987 after it was stood down in 2025, and commanders say its return is meant to close an operational gap created by the previous fleet’s retirement and improve joint sea-air response during current hostilities.