Airline illegally transports munitions to Israel through Irish airspace two years after being exposed

Challenge Airlines illegally transported “military aircraft parts” through Irish territory to Israel last night.

The F-35 fighter jet parts were delivered to Nevatim Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airbase with the Israeli Ministry of Defense listed as the recipient.

The Irish government has refused to act since The Ditch first reported on the airline’s illegal munitions trafficking almost two years ago.

The goods were sent from the Pratt and Whitney F-35 engine facility at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. 

Challenge Airlines Malta flight 5C982 entered Irish sovereign airspace near Donegal at around 10.30pm yesterday evening and arrived in Tel Aviv earlier this morning with the munitions onboard. 

The flight also carried another 35 military goods shipments including a second package of F-35 parts from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to Ovda IDF airbase in Israel.

The IDF uses the F-35 combat 35 to drop bombs on Palestine in Israel’s campaign of genocide.

The carriage of weapons parts through Irish airspace without authorisation is an indictable criminal offence punishable by up to three years' imprisonment under air navigation law. 

An Garda Síochána refuses to investigate the airlines involved but continues to enforce air navigation legislation against activists protesting the US military’s use of Shannon Airport.