Graduation Ceremony of the 185th Israeli Air Force Pilots Course

The Pilots Course Graduation Ceremony, in which wing insignias were awarded to the graduates of the 185th IAF Pilots Course, was held yesterday (Wednesday) at the Hatzerim Air Force Base. The insignias were awarded to 41 combat aircrew, who constitute the operational spearhead of the IDF and will lead the IAF’s missions in the upcoming years.

In attendance were the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog, the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr. Yair Lapid, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Mr. Benny Gantz, the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi, the Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, IDF commanders and the families of the graduates. The graduation ceremony was held following the conclusion of a three-year-long IAF Pilots Course, during which the cadets were trained as combat officers and graduated with degrees from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

 

The current ceremony marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the IAF’s southern bases. The southern bases are a central part of the IAF’s activities and the development of the Negev. The establishment of these bases is a significant milestone for the Air Force, which contributes to maintaining the security of the country and the IDF’s increased presence in southern Israel.

President of the State of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog:
"Dear graduates, you are an elite team of honorable, virtuous and determined young men and women who chose and were chosen to be at the edge of our iron fist. The combination of our ethical and moral people and our powerful tools alone are what make our Air Force so unique. A victor. The name of the IAF precedes it—not because of its flying steel vehicles but rather because of the people who operate the control stick. You are the driving force, and it is thanks to you that our air force continues to soar higher."

Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr. Yair Lapid:
"The State of Israel is stronger than all its enemies. We will not hesitate to use force to maintain the security of our civilians. Our enemies must know that at any given moment, we are more powerful, intelligent, and disciplined than they are. Our enemies must know that we will not hesitate to dispatch the helicopters, aircraft, and the IAF’s pilots to defend Israel from both near and distant threats. Our enemies—and not only them—must know that if our military were not lawful and ethical, we would not achieve triumph in wars and would not have allies in battles that are vital for our safety. Two weeks ago, we conducted a joint large-scale exercise with the U.S. Air Force. The exercise, which simulated a strike thousands of kilometers from Israel's borders, was the first of a series of exercises planned to be held in the near future.
Our enemies must know that we will not stand idly by in the face of threats that we see as existential. I discussed this with the incoming prime minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu. It is one of the few topics on which there’s a consensus among the Israeli public. No Israeli government will agree to the Iranian regime acquiring nuclear weapons. If it is necessary to act, we will act.
If you would like to understand what we mean when we refer to Israeli deterrence, look left and right. You are the Israeli deterrence. You are the reason Khamenei in Iran, Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, and Yahya Sinwar in Gaza fail to sleep at night. Pilots and navigators, I salute you. We are proud of you. We trust you. Take care of yourselves."

Israel’s Minister of Defense, Mr. Benny Gantz:
"Dear graduates, there is a connecting link between tonight’s event and our strength as a country and as a society. This connection is more powerful and more durable than any external or internal crisis. You, who hold the control stick, hold the responsibility for the security of the State of Israel. You and all of the IDF’s commanders are required to stand by your principles, always speak truthfully, protect the IDF and adhere to its professional and stately values. We trust you, wish you success, and ask that you fly in peace, complete your missions and return home safely."

Chief of the General Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi:
"Congratulations, graduates of the 185th Pilots Course. I personally extend my great appreciation to each and every one of you. You were carefully selected, thoroughly tested and found to be the most worthy. From this moment on, you are a part of the first line of defense of the IDF and the State of Israel. This is a right that comes with fulfillment, self-realization and meaning, all of which are bound to your commitment to operate with determination, wisdom and courage.
Parents and family members— You sit here full of pride, and rightfully so. Know that you have a significant part in this success. You are the ones who instilled in the graduates moral values, a sense of responsibility, devotion, and love for the people and the nation that they will soon be defending. Commanders of the course, you provided the young pilots with knowledge and experience and constituted a source of inspiration. Young pilots, you are concluding a significant chapter in your lives. To be sincere, so am I. I am able to finish this journey in peace thanks to people—soldiers and commanders alike. Thanks to the quality of the people, their dedication and their willingness. Thanks to brave and persevering people, who even when they are shot at in the alleys of Judea and Samaria or have surface-to-air missiles launched at them in the midst of a strike, continue until the mission is completed.
I am able to live in peace thanks to our ability to invent, develop and decipher, and because we continue to fight while making sure to uphold our humanity. Thanks to the IDF's spirit of statesmanship and unity of purpose, which places the mission, security, and country's well-being first. I am able to live in peace because we treat everyone with respect and provide opportunities for all sectors. Because we know how to integrate soldiers from different populations and soldiers with special needs into the IDF, and because we are a model of unity, partnership, and friendship. I am able to live in peace thanks to the youth who enlist in the IDF, youth who view military service as both a moral obligation and a personal opportunity. I am able to live in peace because the top sectors of society and those with the highest attributes are enlisting at higher rates and increasingly choosing to serve in combat units. I am at peace because time and time again I meet and see the excited parents at the end of combat training, a professional course, an officers' course, or a pilots course. They are proud and encourage their boys and girls to serve meaningfully. With parents like these, the quality of the IDF's excellence is guaranteed for years.
I am at peace because we never cease to improve the IDF’s combat techniques, operational activities and conduct. We are constantly seeking new ways to innovate, improve, perfect and grow in these fields. We fight to elevate the good to great and the great to excellent. In my final appearance in uniform, I salute you and remind you that serving in the IDF is a great duty and a great privilege. I am proud of you and have immense faith in your success."

Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar:
"Dear graduates, you will operate with precision. Exactly at the right place, at the right time, and exactly according to the plan—and if it is necessary to change it to meet the task, do so. Precision is not a matter of estimation; it is a nearly perfect correspondence between what we predict will happen and what really occurs in practice. Remember, excellence is a matter of will. Your achievements depend on the amount of effort you put forth. Where I’m from, we like to say that even the sky is not the limit. From time to time, when you experience failure, gather your strength quickly and return to operate and triumph. The rate of recovery following a failure greatly impacts the operational outcomes of the IAF as a whole. Today, I present you with wing insignias that hold great strength within them—the strength of the aircraft and the strength of powerful arms. Use the strengths given to you wisely and to the appropriate extent, alongside personal modesty and in accordance with the values you were taught at home and in the spirit of the IDF, which you assimilated during your training."