MAG Aerospace and L3Harris Technologies have won a U.S. Army competition to develop and deliver a pair of high-altitude aircraft with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The team will equip two Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft with ISR payloads to support the service branch’s mission to advance long-range precision fires under the Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar program, MAG Aerospace said Monday.
The Army envisions the aircraft to provide greater endurance, more capacity for larger payloads and standoff ranges and new sensor technology for U.S. combatant commands.
MAG Aerospace and L3Harris teamed up in October 2022 to develop planes with new radar and electronic and communications intelligence capabilities for the ATHENA-R initiative.
“Our team understands the urgency of fielding these long-range, deep-sensing capabilities to support the Army’s mission needs and is positioned to deliver,” Jon Rambeau, president of integrated mission systems at L3Harris.
The defense contractor also supports the Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System program in the Indo-Pacific.