Bombardier shared Monday that it delivered the first Global 6500 to the U.S. Army for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System program. The private jet is part of a larger plan to modernize aerial military intelligence.

In January, the U.S. Army shared that it had awarded Bombardier Defense a firm-fixed-price contract on Dec. 12, producing one Global 6500 with the option to purchase two additional jets over three years. Bombardier delivered the first jet in a ceremony at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. The Global 6500 will support the HADES program, offering high-performance capabilities to bolster the U.S. Army’s aerial deep-sensing abilities. The ceremony was joined by U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, State of Kansas officials and other U.S. Army leaders. The celebration highlighted the start of the next stage of the program to integrate systems with the delivery of the first prototype airframe for next-generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“Bombardier Defense is honored to support the U.S. Army with the delivery of the first Global 6500 aircraft, a high-performance platform that possesses the speed, endurance-at-range and altitude capabilities to support deep-sensing for the Army of tomorrow,” Bombardier Defense VP Steve Patrick said. “This best-in-class jet is the future-proofed solution to provide the U.S. Army with the capabilities needed to face current and future threats.”

A fixed-wing platform such as the Global 6500 flies faster, longer and higher than legacy airborne sensor platforms, offering an advantage in improving the performance of aerial ISR missions. The jet provides numerous advantages for military entities, including reliability, operational reach and expanding operating rates. The Global 6500 has a maximum endurance of up to 18 hours and up to 750 flight hours between maintenance intervals.

“We are proud of the partnership with Bombardier Defense and the mission-focused professionals in the State of Kansas,” said Andrew Evans, director of HQDA G-2 ISR Task Force.“We remain excited about the opportunities we can unlock by pairing the performance, versatility and reliability of the Global 6500 with modern payloads aligned to priority intelligence requirements. HADES is the centerpiece of the Army's collection strategy, and the Global 6500 is the system that brings that strategy to life. This aircraft gives us the range, payload capacity, speed and endurance to deliver timely, relevant and responsive capabilities for the full spectrum of Army and Joint collection requirements.”

The Bombardier Global family has a 99.83 percent dispatch reliability. The Global 6500 is an ideal candidate to achieve operational objectives such as deep sensing. Bombardier Defense has dedicated in-house engineering and support teams that are available 24/7, around the world. These teams can incorporate modifications to fit the customer’s needs as well as complete certification capabilities across a range of civilian, military and hybrid operations. Bombardier brings decades of experience working with special mission operators and mission systems integrators to adapt its proven platform for critical operations globally.

“The partnership between Bombardier, the U.S. Army and the Wichita workforce has produced a next-generation aircraft equipped to meet the demands of warfare in a new era of technology,” Moran said. “The HADES aircraft has the tools needed to deter threats, conduct surveillance and help keep our country safe. This is the start of a new chapter in the aviation capabilities of our military and continues Kansas’ legacy of defense manufacturing.”

The HADES prototype will be the first U.S. Army-owned large-cabin business jet used for Aerial ISR platforms. In preparation for the HADES program, the Army began buying aerial ISR as a service in the form of aerial technology demonstrators from defense industry vendors in 2020. In August, it was announced that Sierra Nevada Corporation was awarded a $991.3 million multi-year contract to deliver aerial ISR jets to the U.S. Army. The award was given in support of the HADES program, which will allow for higher airspeeds and longer endurance for aerial ISR coverage over a larger geographical area, facilitating global deployment in days rather than a transitional period of several weeks.