Ireland's new €53 million government jet was ordered without FalconEye, an Israeli-developed vision system by Elbit Systems that enables landing in low visibility, according to aviation sources. Irish officials reportedly excluded the system to avoid a procurement agreement with Elbit. The jet remains safe but pilots now have fewer landing options in severe fog.
Ireland's Department of Defence ordered the Falcon 6X without the FalconEye vision system, developed by Dassault with Israel's Elbit Systems, which is standard on the aircraft, according to aviation sources. The exclusion reportedly stems from the requirement for a written procurement agreement with Elbit. While the department insists the aircraft faces 'no current limits' on operational capability, aviation sources note that pilots now have fewer landing options in severe fog and may need to divert to alternate airports. The decision is notable given that other Irish military aircraft, including helicopters and radar systems, still contain Israeli technology where officials determined the systems could not be practically excluded. This decision comes amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Ireland and Israel. Earlier this year, Ireland announced an entry ban targeting Israeli ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir, as previously reported by The Zioneer. The specific rationale for excluding the FalconEye system, and whether it reflects a broader policy shift, remains unclear.
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