Carol Collins
The electronic warfare aircraft designed by L3Harris Technologies to serve as a technology demonstrator for a U.S. Army intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance program completed its maiden flight after six months of modification.
The Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System aircraft will support the Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System initiative aimed at enabling the service branch’s ISR fleet to carry more payloads and sensors and have better standoff ranges, the company said Friday.
Hosted on a Bombardier business jet, ARES can go up to 40,000 feet, operate for as long as 14 hours and enable long-range precision fires. The demonstrator’s expanded mission range can also waive the necessity to operate near denied borders.
“Our design, fabrication and integration team turned a green airframe into an initial single sensor capable platform with new sensing technology in six months,” said Luke Savoie, president of aviation services at L3Harris.
Bombardier’s green aircraft is capable of supporting a maximum of 14,000-pound payload and running the Army’s longest-range sensors.
