Q&A with NAVAIR on the Gulfstream G-550 AEW Aircraft Procurement by the U.S. Navy

: Posted On Friday, 08 April 2016 11:06

Naval Forces News - USA

Q&A with NAVAIR on the Gulfstream G-550 AEW Aircraft Procurement by the U.S. Navy

It was announced last month that Gulfstream Aerospace had won a $91million U.S. Navy contract to supply one Gulfstream G-550 Green aircraft with Airborne Early Warning air vehicle modifications. Navy Recognition contacted the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to learn more about this procurement and the platform.

According to Gulfstream Aerospace, the G-550 Green has a flight range of 6,750 nautical miles (12,501 kilometers). The aircraft is capable of operating out of short-field, high-altitude airports. It can transport up to 18 passengers and has the endurance to fly more than 12 hours.
Operators of the G-550 in AEW variant include Israel, Italy and Singapore.

NAVAIR supplied us with an artist impression showing the U.S. Navy future G-550 AEW aircraft.

Navy Recognition (NR): Why is the US Navy procuring a land based AEW platform? Can't the US Navy use their existing E-2C and E-2D aircraft?
NAVAIR: The Gulfstream G550 AEW aircraft is the only known aircraft that satisfies the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWC-WD) Sea Test Range Support requirements without significant engineering, development, modification, test, and certification effort, all of which would result in an unacceptable delay in fielding the system. Unlike any other known aircraft, the G550 AEW aircraft's outer mold line satisfies the airborne telemetry (TM) system requirement and already possesses an FAA Type Certificate, as well as the necessary Supplemental Type Certificates, to meet government airworthiness requirements.

NR: Which company provides the AEW kit on the aircraft?
NAVAIR: The G550 AEW aircraft will be provided as a government-furnished property to a company chosen through a full and open competition. This company will develop a tri-band telemetry system and procure and integrate the telemetry system along with additional mission equipment into the G550 AEW airframe. The request for proposal containing all aircraft mission equipment requirements is anticipated to be released in fall 2016.

NR: Which US Navy unit will be flying the aircraft ?
NAVAIR: The G550 AEW will be operated by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 30.

NR: What missions are expected to be conducted by this aircraft ?
NAVAIR: The G550 AEW aircraft will be used only as a Telemetry Range Support Aircraft (TRSA). It will perform airborne data retrieval functions in its primary mission, flying near the system under test and collecting data through the telemetry antennae.

Additional TRSA missions include multi-band range communications and monitoring of the test range to determine if any unauthorized vessels have entered the hazard pattern of the vehicle under test.

If an emergency arises during test, the TRSA can also terminate the system under test through a command destruct/flight termination system.

NR: When should it be delivered to the US Navy ?
NAVAIR: The expected delivery date is Summer 2018.