G550s for RAAF
 

US DoD have listed a contract for the supply of G550 to the RAAF:

https://www.aeroaustraliamag.com/gul...g550-for-raaf/

Nice replacement for the Challengers. Very classy! Shame they didn't go the G650's though ;)

Could be survelliance/ELINT, if L3 are involved.

Yep, I've since been told the same info since my last post.

Thought so when I read that L-3 was involved but didn't want to stick my neck out and suggest it as I've been wrong in the past.

Special missions Gulfstream 550s for the RAAF?

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...-for-the-raaf/

L-3 Communications will modify an unspecified number of Gulfstream G550 aircraft for Australia under a US$93.6 million foreign military sales deal announced by the US Department of Defense on December 28.

“L-3 Communications Mission Integration, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a $93,632,287 firm fixed-price undefinitised contract action task order (1648) for
Australia Government G550 aircraft procurement and maintenance,” the short contract award notice reads.
“Work will be performed at Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be complete by November 30, 2017.”

The Australian Government has yet to publicly announce a requirement for special missions aircraft – presumably to be operated by the RAAF – but such a project could be confirmed by the forthcoming Defence White Paper.

The Gulfstream 550 is better known as a 14-19 passenger, 6,750nm range corporate jet, but various special missions variants are in military service, most notably in both CAEW ‘Conformal Airborne Early Warning’ and SEMA ‘Special Electronic Missions Aircraft’ ELINT forms with the Israeli Air Force. Singapore also operates G550 CAEWs, while the type has also been ordered by Italy and the US Navy (as a range monitoring aircraft).

L-3’s Mission Integration unit at Greenville (formerly E-Systems), meanwhile, specialises “in the modernisation and maintenance of aircraft of all sizes, and the study, design, development, and integration of special-mission systems for military and commercial applications”, according to the company’s website.

L-3 is also part of a Northrop Grumman-led teaming to offer a variant of the G550 for the US Air Force’s E-8C JSTARS replacement program.

Looks like it will be two birds, replacing the current P3s x 2 used for ELINT according to flight global.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...eillan-420465/

Nigel probably find that RAAF will head down the G550/650's as replacement for the 604's. 1 it keeps the aircraft as a single type easier on maitnence even though operated by two different SQN's, 2 the range as RAAF wanted something with a little extra legs than the 604's. The white paper will be very interesting as there will be if the rumors are true a lot of investment. The BBJ's and 604's are coming up for end of their lease in 2017 so expect an announcement on that front soon.

Defence confirms acquisition of two ISR and EW Gulfstreams

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...w-gulfstreams/