Ireland Drops Israeli Safety System From Prime Minister’s New Jet Over Israel Boycott

The Irish government recently purchased a new executive jet for Prime Minister Micheál Martin and cabinet ministers at a cost of €53 million, but chose to forgo an advanced navigation system that enables landings in fog and severe weather because it is made by the Israeli company "Elbit Systems." The Irish newspaper The Journal reported Tuesday.

The new aircraft, a French-made Dassault Falcon 6X, was purchased to replace the old government plane, which had suffered numerous technical malfunctions in recent years. In addition to flying the prime minister and ministers, the aircraft is also intended for rescue and medical evacuation missions.

According to the report, however, the plane was delivered without the FalconEye system—an advanced system installed in the aircraft’s nose that combines infrared cameras and sensors, projecting an image for pilots that allows them to "see" even in heavy fog and low cloud cover. Aviation and defense sources in Ireland confirmed that the system was not installed following the Irish government’s decision not to purchase Israeli components.

The decision stems from a policy Ireland announced in August 2024. At the time, then-Defense and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin—who now serves as prime minister—said that Ireland would stop purchasing equipment containing Israeli-made components in response to the war in the Gaza Strip.

According to the report, other Irish Air Corps projects, including Airbus-made helicopters and patrol aircraft, incorporate Israeli systems as an integral part of the manufacturing process. But in the case of the new executive jet, installing the FalconEye system would have required the Irish government to sign a direct procurement agreement with "Elbit." Officials in Dublin decided not to do so and required that the system be removed from the aircraft’s specifications at the ordering stage.

A former Irish Air Corps pilot told The Journal that the absence of the system has operational consequences. In his words, "The system provides the operational capability to land in heavy fog, while other aircraft are forced to divert and land at an alternative airport." Without the system, he said, pilots’ options are reduced in poor-visibility conditions.

Ireland’s Department of Defense declined to comment directly on the Israeli system or the aircraft’s specifications, but said in an official response that "there are currently no limitations on the aircraft’s operational capability."