Australia To Receive $1.3 Billion Gulfstream G550 ISR, EW Mission Systems Aircraft From US

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia for Gulfstream G550 Aircraft with Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare (AISREW) mission systems.

The estimated cost is $1.3 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on June 23, 2017.

The AISREW mission payload is one of the most potent in the US Navy’s arsenal as in additional to surveillance and reconnaissance, it provides the aircraft with electronic warfare capabilities to cripple the electronics of enemy planes such as radar and communications.

One of the reasons for selecting the Gulfstream as a platform for ISR-EW mission systems is its range. The G550 has the efficiency to fly 6,750 nautical miles/12,501 kilometers nonstop. Its sensors have a detection range of 200 nautical miles.

While earlier configurations of the Gulfstream G550 have been for ISR missions, the Australian sale is one of the first that combines an Electronic Warfare suite which provides offensive teeth to the aircraft while on reconnaissance and surveillance missions.