In a rather bizarre development, more and more armed forces are retrofitting business jets as spy planes and deploying them in operations across the world. Once associated with luxury and rockstars, business jets are now being repurposed as military spy planes, packed with advanced technology to monitor electronic signals, troop movements, and more. Militaries around the world are turning to these commercial jets to overcome supply chain issues and bureaucratic red tape, enabling faster deployment of critical surveillance capabilities.
Of course, as with all things about military spending, the US leads the fray. The shift to commercial jets Instead of relying on specialised, slow-to-develop military aircraft, militaries are opting for readily available jets like the Bombardier Global 6500. In August, the US Army awarded a contract to Sierra Nevada Corporation to lead its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) programme, which is set to modernise the Army’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) fleet.
The deal, which could reach nearly $1 billion, is built around the commercially available Bombardier jet, allowing for quicker production and deployment. Bombardier’s jets are already playing a crucial role in military operations. Aircraft like the Artemis and Ares, predecessors to HADES, have completed over 1,000 sorties across Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
These planes have been used to monitor Russian activity and serve in a range of ISR miss.
