Singapore Unveils Upgraded G550 Platform

The Singapore Air Force has, for the first time, publicly displayed its upgraded Gulfstream 550-based airborne early warning (AEW) platform at the Singapore Airshow.

Israel Aerospace Industries subsidiary Elta said the platform featured dual S-band radar arrays at the front and rear as well as L-band sensors on the fuselage side, providing 360° coverage and offering a mission endurance of nine hours at an altitude of 41,000ft.

In addition, the upgraded G550 also has pod-housed electronic support measures equipment, satellite communications and line-of-sight datalinks, according to Flightglobal.

Four AEW-configured aircraft, worth up to $1bn, will replace the aging Northrop E-2Cs that have been in service for more than 20 years.