Bombardier continues to improve upon existing and high performing ISR aircraft solutions by evaluating the upgrades to current systems as required by specific missions

Bombardier has the longest track record and the widest range of experience of any special mission aircraft provider. The company’s rich heritage of developing aircraft for governments, armed forces and specialised commercial operators stretches back more than 40 years and tens of thousands of flight hours.

Bombardier has designed, built and delivered well over 300 special mission aircraft for customers worldwide since January 1965, when a Learjet 23 flew a tactical training mission for the US Air Force. Today, the Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets and Q-Series turboprop airliners provide a full spectrum of special mission capabilities that can meet almost any current requirement. With the largest fleet of special mission aircraft in corporate aviation, each member of Bombardier’s comprehensive business jet and regional aircraft family is firmly established in-service with specialised mission operators. For future mission concepts, Bombardier continues to develop new specialised aircraft solutions to maintain its market leading status.

Airborne C4ISR

Any mission requiring surveillance, monitoring, intelligence gathering, airborne coordination or simply national presence comes under command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR). Bombardier aircraft are already well established in these roles, particularly in the increasingly sophisticated air-to-ground surveillance environment, including overland and maritime domains.

The ASTOR programme for Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) underlines the credentials of the Global Express as a superior C4ISR platform for air-to-ground surveillance.

As part of a team led by Raytheon Systems, Bombardier won the UK’s ASTOR competition, supplying five Global Express aircraft for the programme. Bombardier was responsible for all simulation and modeling of the airframe modifications as well as a 300-hour flight test programme. The ASTOR platform—known as the Sentinel R.Mk—is equipped with a Raytheon dual-mode SAR/MTI radar, mission management systems, MILSATCOM, and the latest in communications and data link equipment. The Sentinel R.Mk 1 is the only dedicated NATO C4ISR aircraft in operation outside the United States.

The success of the ASTOR programme has led to the Global Express being considered as a candidate platform for other C4ISR requirements worldwide.

Key customer nations for Bombardier’s surveillance and patrol aircraft include the United Kingdom (Global Express), Korea (Challenger 604), Australia (Q-Series), Denmark (Challenger 604), Sweden (Q-Series), Iceland (Q-Series), and the US (Q-Series). The US Department of Homeland Security has acquired Q200 aircraft for the counter-narcotics/border surveillance missions.

Aircrew Training

Bombardier aircraft are currently deployed for training, evaluation and mission readiness procedures with a host of government and military operators. Specialised functions extend beyond training for aircrews (pilots, navigators, etc.) to include threat simulation, electronic warfare and airborne target presentations to train air defense systems operators on land, at sea and in the air.

Some well-established operators include L-3 Flight International (US), Phoenix Air (US), SAAB-Nyge Aero (Sweden), Pel-Air Aviation (Australia) and the United Arab Emirates Navy.

Bombardier’s experience and comprehensive product line makes it a strong contender for future military flight crew training requirements around the world.

Executive Transport and Logistic Support

Bombardier aircraft transport high priority passengers and essential cargo for air forces worldwide. The United States Air Force alone has an extensive fleet of Learjet 35A (C-21A) aircraft that undertake operational support airlift missions around the clock and across the globe.

Other nations that call on Bombardier aircraft for head of state, ministerial, government and senior military transportation include Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Malaysia, and the US Coast Guard. As more nations become integrated with long-standing allied organisations, they turn to Bombardier aircraft as a reliable and highly supportable means of transportation. Four Global 5000 jets will be operated by the German Ministry of Defence’s Special Mission Wing for VIP transport and medical evacuation (MedEvac) flights.