The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal, in coordination with the Army Fixed Wing Project Office, awarded a firm-fixed-price contract to Bombardier Defense (Learjet, Inc.) on Dec. 12, 2023. This contract procures one Global 6500 jet aircraft with options to purchase two additional aircraft over a three-year period. These aircraft will support prototyping efforts for the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, also known as HADES. These HADES prototypes will be the first U.S. Army-owned large-cabin business jets utilized for Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms, and will provide advanced deep-sensing capabilities for use in multidomain operations against peer and near-peer adversaries. The delivery date for the first aircraft is Oct. 1, 2024.
“HADES will bring the Army increased range, speed, endurance and aerial ISR depth,” said Col. Joe S. Minor, project manager for Army fixed-wing aircraft. “HADES will operate at higher altitudes than legacy turboprop platforms. Higher altitudes equate to an ability to sense farther and more persistently into areas of interest. Deep sensing is the Army’s number-one operational imperative for the Army of 2030.”
The ATDs are providing data about platform performance, sensor integration, sensor performance and data distribution to both the Army and the joint force. The ATDs also allow the Army to better understand the doctrine, training, personnel, facilities and sustainment required to employ these more capable sensors and aircraft that HADES will provide. The L3Harris-led HADES team brings experience designing, integrating, certifying and operating ISR business jets for the U.S. Army. L3Harris operates a Bombardier Global Series jet as part of the Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System program supporting U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, while Leidos operates two special mission aircraft for the Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance Targeting and Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System program in support of U.S. European Command.
The Bombardier Global Express is a large cabin, 6,000 nmi / 11,100 km range business jet designed and manufactured by Bombardier Aviation. The shorter range Global 5000 is slightly smaller. The longer range Global 5500/6500 are powered by new Rolls-Royce Pearl engines with lower fuel burn and were unveiled in May 2018. The larger and stretched Global 7500/8000 have longer ranges. The Global 6500 jet aircraft has been modified for military missions. On 12 December 2023, the US Army awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for one G6500 with an option for two more, to be used as High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. The service built and deployed two aerial ISR demonstrators beginning in 2020 known as Artemis and Ares. Artemis has flown more than 600 sorties in support of U.S. European Command’s operations; Ares has flown 300 sorties in the Indo-Pacific.
