On November 25, 2024, Bombardier Defense officially delivered a modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jet to the United States Army, in support of its High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) program. The handover ceremony was held at Bombardier Group’s U.S. Headquarters in Wichita, Kansas, in the same hangar where Bill Lee launched the Lear Jet business jet line over 60 years ago. The Army has an option to buy two more 6500s under the existing contract.

By James Careless

Under the HADES program, the Global 6500 will replace the US Army’s Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail IST aerial platform, which is based on the Beechcraft King Air twin-propellor aircraft. According to the authoritative aerospace industry publication aviationweek.com, the Army intends to have 14 aircraft in the HADES fleet. To say the least, the sale of the Global 6500 to the US Army is a major boost to Bombardier Defense’s global ambitions.

“This airframe provides size, weight, and power unmatched to our Army’s legacy fleet and is globally responsive anywhere in the world,” said Lt. Gen. Anthony Hale, the US Army’s deputy chief of staff for intelligence. He told attendees inside the hangar — with the white Global 6500 sitting behind the speakers; area, its open door blocked by a red ribbon suspended between two posts — that the Army’s approach to sensing involves integrating space, aerial, terrestrial, and cyber domains to create multiple dilemmas for adversaries to overcome.

“This HADES aircraft enhances clarity and decision making by providing manned aerial multi-intelligence collection systems optimized for active campaigning, which is crucial for early indications and warnings, and understanding the electronic order of battle,” Lt. Gen. Hale declared. “HADES offers the Army an organic capability to fly higher, to fly faster, to fly farther.”

The General’s assessment of the Global 6500 as a superior ISR platform was backed by Steve Patrick, Vice President of Bombardier Defense. “This high performance platform provides speed, endurance at range and altitude capabilities that can support deep sensing for the army of tomorrow,” said Patrick. “It will provide the US Army with capabilities needed to face current and future threats, all while reducing cost, improving operational readiness, enhancing logistical support, and simplifying the maintenance needs. [And] Once the mission systems are integrated into this platform, it will sense deeper and farther.”

The delivery of the Global 6500 was applauded by US Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), whose Senate term runs to 2026. “Our adversaries are aligning one with another to do harm to the United States of America to change the world order to reduce our freedoms and our liberties, and to reduce our role in protecting others around the globe from the threats they face,” he said. “So I’m pleased that we’re here in this response by the Army and by its contractor, Bombardier, to help meet those significant and serious challenges.”

The Global 6500 ceremony’s speaker concluded with Andrew Evans, Director of the US Army’s HQDA G-2 ISR Task Force, who has been a key player in the HADES program. “It’s hard not to be emotional on a day like today, if you’ve been part of the fights that we’ve been in the building elsewhere to justify the existence of this,” said Evans. “It is through this system, and all systems that follow, that we will deliver cutting-edge intelligence capabilities to support deterrence. And if necessary, we will ensure that America never fights in a fair war.”

The speeches done, the assembled dignitaries stood behind the 6500’s red ribbon, with Senator Moran wielding oversized scissors to cut it. And with that, the Bombardier Global 6500 became a part of the US Army’s fleet.