From luxury to lethality: How business jets are becoming the new ISR and EW defence platforms
October 26, 2025
Defence forces worldwide are increasingly turning to business jets, converting them into airborne electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and early warning platforms.
Recent US acquisitions, South Korea’s new AEW&C based on a business jet airframe, and a host of conversion programmes illustrate a trend: business jets, inherently fast, long-ranged, and spacious, are no longer a luxury; they are battle-space multipliers.
US accelerates EW and ISR capability with business jet conversions
One of the most visible examples in the US is the EA-37B Compass Call, based on the Gulfstream G550 business jet.
The US Air Force is phasing out its older EC-130H fleet and replacing them with EA-37Bs, which carry advanced mission systems for disrupting enemy communications, radars and navigation.
As of mid-2025, five EA-37Bs have been delivered, with a goal of ten by 2028. Italy has also contracted two mission-system packages to convert its G550s.
Parallel to this, the US Army’s HADES (High Accuracy Detection & Exploitation System) programme is repurposing Bombardier Global 6500 jets for deep-sensing ISR work.
These jets are being outfitted with high-end sensor suites to offer long-range detection and signal exploitation.
The Global platform’s cabin size, endurance, and existing modifications for power, cooling and mission systems make it a strong fit.
These moves reflect a desire for rapid capability fielding: business jets are commercial, in production, and relatively easy to modify compared with designing new airframes from scratch.
South Korea’s selection of business-jet-based AEW&C solution underlines global shift
In Asia, South Korea has selected an L3Harris Global 6500-based mission solution for its new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) requirement.
This signals that even nations with substantial defence budgets prefer business-jet-derived platforms for surveillance and command roles, thanks to their speed of integration, less demanding infrastructure, and strategic flexibility.
Earlier in the year, L3Harris had bid its business-jet missionisation expertise for this contract.
GlobalEye: A case study in business jet AEW&C from Bombardier & Saab
Among the most mature examples is Saab’s GlobalEye, built on the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 business jet family.
GlobalEye unites the Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar, active/passive sensors, and multi-domain control & command systems. It can simultaneously operate in air, maritime and ground surveillance roles.
Key features include more than 11 hours of endurance, the capability to operate from smaller airfields, and detection ranges exceeding 300 nautical miles, depending on altitude.
The UAE and Sweden operate GlobalEye; Germany recently placed additional orders. The platform is seen by many as an alternative to bulkier AEW aircraft, specifically for countries seeking rapidly deployable surveillance that can transition among roles.
Dassault Falcon 8X ‘Archange’ SIGINT platform: France’s move to upgrade strategic intelligence with business jets
France is upgrading its strategic intelligence capability via its Archange programme. Dassault Aviation is converting Falcon 8X business jets into advanced SIGINT/ELINT platforms under the universal electronic warfare payload system CUGE (Capacité Universelle de Guerre Électronique), led by Thales.
The first of these “Falcon Archange” aircraft has already made its maiden flight. These jets will detect and analyse radar and communication signals, contributing to France’s ability to collect electromagnetic intelligence at strategic levels. Specs: speed around 953 km/h, range nearly 11,945 km, seating up to 19.
Other notable business jet to defence conversions
Here are additional examples of business jet airframes turned into defence assets, validating the broader trend:
- Gulfstream G550 variants beyond Compass Call: Israel’s IAI Eitam / Shavit platforms are CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) and SIGINT variants. Australia’s MC-55A Peregrine is a multi-intelligence ISR version delivered 2024-25.
- Bombardier Global 6000/6500: apart from GlobalEye, Germany’s PEGASUS SIGINT programme uses modified Global 6000s.
- The RAF is upgrading its Shadow R1 (Global Express derivative) to Global 6500s.
- The U.S. Army’s ARTEMIS/HADES deep sensing is likewise Global-based.
- Smaller business jets like the Dassault Falcons (2000, 900, 8X) are being used for maritime patrol, SIGINT, and special mission roles. The French Navy’s Falcon 200 Guardian / Albatros for maritime surveillance is among them.
What makes business jets suited to modern defence needs: payload, range, adaptability
Several technical and operational advantages explain why business jets are being increasingly chosen:
- Endurance and speed: These jets can fly at high altitude, quickly transit to theatre, loiter for long hours, and reach farther without refuelling.
- Cabin space and existing infrastructure: Generous cabin volume allows for racks of sensors, data processors, operators, and environmental tolerances. Many platforms already have power-generation, cooling and environmental control systems that can support mission payloads.
- Lower acquisition and sustainment costs than larger AEW or specialised airliner derivatives, plus quicker modification timelines.
- Flexibility: A single airframe type can be configured for EW, SIGINT, AEW roles, depending on sensor & system fit-outs.
But there are trade-offs: survivability in contested airspace, larger radar signature, and dependence on robust mission-systems engineering.
Nations are balancing these by adding self-protection, stand-off sensing, and integrating these jets into networked command and control architectures that allow them to contribute without being centre-stage targets.
Strategic implications: Shrinking gaps and expanding capabilities
The rise of business-jet-based defence platforms shrinks capability gaps for nations that cannot afford or do not require full-size AWACS or large bombers.
For example, rather than developing new airliners or large converted transport aircraft, countries can field GlobalEye or Archarde-style jets sooner, with lower investment and reduced operational barriers.
This also impacts procurement and industrial strategy. Integration of mission systems, sensor suites, and defensive electronics has become a major business area.
Defence contractors, avionics firms, and jet manufacturers now have growing pipelines converting business jets rather than creating bespoke airframes from scratch.
