The global operational environment is rapidly changing with increased complexity across all theaters. Military leaders require advanced capabilities to meet today’s dynamic geo-strategic challenges. Long operational ranges, improved adversary capabilities, and a constantly changing geopolitical landscape require versatile airborne platforms that fly further, faster, and higher to cover expansive terrains near hostile territories.
Bombardier Defense is renowned around the world for its commitment to quality, reliability, and performance, and has been the platform of choice for the United States Armed Forces to support several operational imperatives. Leveraging experience gleaned from the design and production of its hundreds of specialized aircraft in service worldwide and an operational track record of more than 3 million fleet hours, Bombardier Defense has become the go-to provider of solutions for a variety of missions worldwide.
Next-Generation Airborne ISR for the U.S. Army
The United States Army has repeatedly cited its top modernization operational priority is deep sensing in order to gain and maintain early situational awareness for decision advantage. Such capability relies upon aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies that enable the Army to maintain an asymmetric information advantage and more effectively adapt to the fast-changing nature of the operational environment. Deep sensing is also critical in providing ranged strike options with medium and long-range precision munitions – to overmatch adversaries, shape the battlespace, or neutralize high priority targets in increasingly complex environments at speed and scale.
To achieve these objectives, the U.S. Army has contracted Bombardier Defense as the platform of choice for its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) project. Working in tandem with other partners to integrate the required systems on the platform, Bombardier will be delivering a prototype airframe using the Global 6500 aircraft for this modernized ISR program.
HADES will enhance deep sensing capabilities by deploying airborne ISR platforms. These capabilities provide increased collection capabilities to Theater Army Service Component Commanders (ASCCs), Joint partners, and allies – ultimately aligning with the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) by aiding in “building a resilient Joint Force.
Previous initiatives leading into the HADES program of record include:
ARTEMIS — Aerial Reconnaissance & Targeting Exploitation Multi-Mission Intelligence System
ARES — Airborne Reconnaissance & Electronic Warfare System
ATHENA-R — Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance-Radar
ATHENA-S — Army Theater-Level High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance-Signals
Clients from civilian, military and government backgrounds all appreciate the customer-centric approach to Bombardier’s offerings. Both the Challenger and Global families of aircraft can be used for multi-mission, allowing for governments to make a singular acquisition to meet their diverse needs. This kind of flexibility makes Bombardier’s solutions valuable around the world.
Defense procurement needs around the world have evolved significantly in the last decade, with more military agencies incorporating modern jets into their operations to maintain information advantage and more effectively adapt to the fast-changing nature of the intelligence gathering and analysis environment.
Bombardier also offers maintenance support through a comprehensive aftermarket network, which offers a strategic operational advantage to governments and military agencies. The availability and versatility of skilled workers, and the accessibility of spare parts through a combination of strategically placed service centers, line maintenance stations and mobile response team trucks, play a significant role when choosing the platform that will create the fleet of tomorrow for aerial ISR missions.
Flexible, Experienced and Proven
Bombardier platforms are agile and rapidly reconfigurable. Bombardier leverages a team of world-class engineers in Wichita, KS, and across North America, that prides itself on being solution-oriented to tailor a platform to meet customer requirements. These capabilities are matched with continuous investment in product upgrades to ensure the reliability, availability and capability of its aircraft.
The attributes that set Bombardier aircraft apart are applicable to various geographic theaters and tactical demands, including:
- Indo-Pacific: Bombardier Defense aircraft support operations to identify, deter, and counter malign and illegal activities in the region. The vast expanse of the Indo-Pacific region requires the combination of speed, range, payload capacity, endurance, and reliability of Bombardier’s long-range aircraft. The Global aircraft configured for ARES supports real-time intelligence collection and processing, exploitation and dissemination (PED) operations while in the U.S. Army Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility
- Europe: Recently, the Finnish Border Guard selected SNC’s RAPCON-X™ solution with the Challenger 650 aircraft as its platform of choice for multi-role missions on the continent. Another Challenger-based system is already deployed to support ISR requirements of U.S. European Command (USEUCOM). Known as the ARTEMIS program, Bombardier-based platforms provide deep sensing and reconnaissance of adversary activities in the region.
- High North: The increasingly significant and contested Arctic region, characterized by extreme cold-weather and rugged terrain, requires next-generation, long-range solutions for surveillance, patrol, and engagement. Combining these capabilities in a multi-mission configuration, the Global 6500 aircraft meets all mission requirements at a sustainable cost.
- Strategic Interest Protection: Robust capabilities to identify, track, and deter illegal activities can be deployed on Challenger and Global aircraft. Countering narcotics, human trafficking, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as completing environmental protection missions, require the persistence, versatility, deploy-ability, and all-weather capability found in Bombardier Defense special mission aircraft.
From securing national airspace, borders and infrastructure to providing urgent humanitarian assistance or supporting mobility and sustainment needs of governments, Bombardier aircraft are built for the most demanding missions. For decades, Bombardier has provided industry-leading, curated solutions for the most demanding missions of governments and military contractors worldwide – and it will continue to do so by innovating and expanding capabilities that solidify Bombardier’s position as a global aviation leader.
PHOTOS: AUSA 2024
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