Gulfstream has begun flight testing the first G550 busines jet modified to be Israel's Compact Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) platform.
The aircraft has been heavily modified to accept the Elta Systems Phalcon phased-array radar, which will be installed after the first CAEW G550 is delivered to Israel at the end of August.
Gulfstream received a contract valued at $473 million in April 2003 to supply four G550s, plus options for two more, at least two of which were to be modified to CAEW configuration. The US manufacturer says the contract options were recently exercised. The CAEW deal followed a 2001 contract to supply a modified Gulfstream V Special Electronic Mission Aircraft, which was delivered to Israel in May last year for installation of an Elta signals-intelligence system.
For the CAEW mission, the G550 has been modified to carry active electronically scanned radar arrays on the sides of the fuselage, the nose and the tail to provide 360deg coverage. A satellite communication antenna will be mounted on top of the fin. Inside, there will be up to six operator consoles.
Gulfstream says it has increased the G550's maximum zero fuel weight; nearly tripled the electrical power by adding two generators to the Rolls-Royce BR710 engines; and installed liquid cooling for the Elta mission system. US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certification of the changes will be obtained before delivery to Israel.