Spotlight on Bizjet-based Special Mission Aircraft

Graham Warwick

Bombardier Global 6000

J-Stars Recap, Lockheed Martin

The original Global Express is the platform for the U.S. Air Force’s Northrop Grumman E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, a flying gateway between networks, and the UK Royal Air Force’s radar-carrying ground-surveillance Raytheon Sentinel R.1. The Global 6000 is the basis for Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C, carrying its EriEye AESA radar. The United Arab Emirates has ordered three, plus two Elint/Sigint Global 6000s being modified by Marshall in the UK. 

Weight: 99,500 lb. Range: 6,000 nm

Bombardier Global 6000

Saab Swordfish, SAAB

Saab also offers the Global 6000-based Swordfish MPA, while Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) proposes the ELI-3360 MPA based on the Global 5000. Lockheed Martin’s proposal for the U.S. Air Force Joint Surveillance Attack Radar System Recapitalization (J-Stars Recap) battlefield-surveillance program uses the Global 6000.

Weight: 99,500 lb. Range: 6,000 nm

Gulfstream G550

Gulfstream EC-37B & Gulfstream NC-37B, Gulfstream

The G550 was selected as the platform for IAI’s Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft, carrying its ELW-2085 AESA radar and supplied to Israel (2), Italy (2) and Singapore (4). IAI has also delivered three sigint-configured G500s to the Israeli Air Force. L3 Technologies is to “crossdeck” the U.S. Air Force’s Compass Call electronic-attack system from the EC-130H (14 aircraft) to the G550 CAEW-based EC-37B and the U.S. Navy’s new NC-37B range-support aircraft will be based on the CAEW configuration. L3 will also modify up to five G550s for Australia’s Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare program. Northrop Grumman is proposing the G550 for the U.S. Air Force’s J-Stars Recap, carrying a battlefield-surveillance AESA.

Dassault Falcon

Falcon 2000MRA, Dassault

Dassault has developed two special-mission configurations: the Falcon 900 Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Falcon 2000 Maritime Multirole Aircraft —the latter conceived originally to meet a still-delayed French requirement, Avsimar, for 10 aircraft. South Korea in 2017 received two Falcon 2000 sigint aircraft to replace Hawker 800s supplied by Raytheon. The Japan Coast Guard has so far ordered three Falcon 2000s for maritime surveillance, equipped with a mission system developed with L3 and Thales.

 

Affinity Flying Training Services

Phenom 100

Textron Scorpion

U.S. Army Beechcraft King Air 350ER

The most popular special-mission platform is a turboprop, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER. ISR versions on offer include L3’s Spyder II and Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Scorpion. The U.S. Army’s MC-12Ws are being modified to the same standard as four Boeing-developed MC-12s. 

 
Image credit: Textron

Shrinking electronics, and the size, power and performance of long-range, large-cabin business jets is fueling interest in versions that can cost-effectively perform specialized missions ranging from ground surveillance to maritime patrol.

Graham Warwick

Graham leads Aviation Week's coverage of technology, focusing on engineering and technology across the aerospace industry, with a special focus on identifying technologies of strategic importance to aviation, aerospace and defense.

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