Australia Buys Four EW Aircraft
The modified G550 jets would be based at RAAF Edinburgh near Adelaide and provide electronic warfare support to naval, air and ground forces
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 18/03/2019
Australia will purchase four modified Gulfstream G550 business jets to strengthen the country’s electronic warfare capabilities.
Defense Minister Christopher Pyne and Minister for Defense Industry Linda Reynolds announced the $2.46 billion (USD1.7 billion) acquisition of the aircraft – to be designated the MC-55A Peregrine – for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under Project AIR 555 on Monday.
Minister Pyne said the aircraft would enable the Australian Defense Force to actively strengthen electronic warfare support to naval, air and ground forces for operations in complex electromagnetic environments.
“The Peregrine is a new airborne electronic warfare capability that will be integrated into Defense’s joint warfighting networks, providing a critical link between platforms, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, E-7A Wedgetail, EA-18G Growler, Navy’s surface combatants and amphibious assault ships and ground assets to support the warfighter,” Pyne said in a statement.
The four jets would be based at RAAF Edinburgh near Adelaide alongside P-8A Poseidon, MQ-4C Triton and MQ-9 Predator/Reaper intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems.
“This capability and the people who operate it will bring Air Force a step closer to becoming a fully networked fifth-generation force and further exploit the joint combat multiplier effects on exercises and operations,” Pyne added.
Features of the G550 include an endurance of more than 15 hours, a cruise speed of 0.8 Mach and a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, which ADM understands would provide a line of sight communications and signals intelligence (SIGINT) interception range of about 400 kilometers.
“About $425 million will be spent with Australian companies during the acquisition phase of the project, including $257 million to be invested in new facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh,” said Minister Reynolds.
It is not yet clear whether any Israeli companies will take part in the modification work.
[Sources: Australian Aviation, Flight Global, Mirage News]
The modified G550 jets would be based at RAAF Edinburgh near Adelaide and provide electronic warfare support to naval, air and ground forces
Australia will purchase four modified Gulfstream G550 business jets to strengthen the country’s electronic warfare capabilities.
Defense Minister Christopher Pyne and Minister for Defense Industry Linda Reynolds announced the $2.46 billion (USD1.7 billion) acquisition of the aircraft – to be designated the MC-55A Peregrine – for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under Project AIR 555 on Monday.
Minister Pyne said the aircraft would enable the Australian Defense Force to actively strengthen electronic warfare support to naval, air and ground forces for operations in complex electromagnetic environments.
“The Peregrine is a new airborne electronic warfare capability that will be integrated into Defense’s joint warfighting networks, providing a critical link between platforms, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, E-7A Wedgetail, EA-18G Growler, Navy’s surface combatants and amphibious assault ships and ground assets to support the warfighter,” Pyne said in a statement.
The four jets would be based at RAAF Edinburgh near Adelaide alongside P-8A Poseidon, MQ-4C Triton and MQ-9 Predator/Reaper intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems.
“This capability and the people who operate it will bring Air Force a step closer to becoming a fully networked fifth-generation force and further exploit the joint combat multiplier effects on exercises and operations,” Pyne added.
Features of the G550 include an endurance of more than 15 hours, a cruise speed of 0.8 Mach and a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, which ADM understands would provide a line of sight communications and signals intelligence (SIGINT) interception range of about 400 kilometers.
“About $425 million will be spent with Australian companies during the acquisition phase of the project, including $257 million to be invested in new facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh,” said Minister Reynolds.
It is not yet clear whether any Israeli companies will take part in the modification work.
[Sources: Australian Aviation, Flight Global, Mirage News]
