Bombardier has delivered the first Global 6500 aircraft to the US Army as part of the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) program.
HADES is a US Army initiative to modernize its aerial deep sensing capabilities by integrating advanced technologies and new intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms.
US Army ISR Task Force Director Andrew Evans identified the Global 6500 as “the system that brings that strategy to life” during a handover ceremony at Bombardier’s US headquarters in Wichita, Kansas.
The event was attended by US Senator Jerry Moran, as well as other US Army and Kansas state officials, where Senator Moran highlighted that the aircraft signifies “the start of a new chapter in the aviation capabilities of our military and continues Kansas’ legacy of defense manufacturing.”
In August, the army chose Sierra Nevada Corporation to lead the program’s systems integration under a $93.5-million contract, a decision that L3Harris disputed.
Next-Gen ISR Solution
Company VP Steve Patrick described the Global 6500 fixed-wing craft as “a high-performance platform that possesses the speed, endurance-at-range, and altitude capabilities to support deep-sensing for the Army of tomorrow.”
The aircraft can fly continuously with a maximum endurance of up to 18 hours. Additionally, it can operate for up to 750 flight hours before requiring maintenance.
It shares similar characteristics with other Global models that boast 99.83 percent dispatch reliability, making it highly reliable for ISR, medevac, and maritime surveillance operations.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl engines, the Global 6500 flies at a top speed of Mach 0.9, a maximum range of 6,600 nautical miles (7,595 miles/12,223 kilometers), and an altitude reaching 51,000 feet (15,545 meters).
