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Plans are underway to integrate a new refueling aircraft into the IAF in 2009.  The "Green Salad," as the new project has been named, involves a Boeing 707 aircraft which has a refueling system within it.  The system can refuel other airplanes while in the air, thus enabling them to continue flying.

The last project involving a refueling system took place six years ago.  The present "Green Salad" project, which cost about 80 million shekels ($22,415,185), is under the responsibility of the Israel Aerospace Industries.

"We are talking about a very big project that will give the IAF another refueling system," said Major Shlomi Shefer, the Head of the IAF Aerial Refueling Department.  "We took the airplane used by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and turned it into an aerial refueling plane.  The fact that the IAF will have another of these aircrafts means that more planes will be able to achieve their mission.  We expect this aircraft to have the ability to refuel other planes in a short amount of time."