On April 4th, the U.S. Air Force, on behalf of an unnamed Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer, awarded L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP of Greenville, Texas, a $71.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract (FA8620-21-G-4027 / FA8620-23-F-4868) for engineering, procurement, fabrication, and subsequent modification of one Gulfstream GV-SP (G550) aircraft. The contract also provides for engineering, procurement, and fabrication of Joint Airborne Multi-Sensor Multi-Mission Systems (JAMMS) for two FMS customer aircraft. This award was the result of a sole-source acquisition. (L-3 Communications Integrated Systems is a division of L3Harris Technologies.)
While the FMS customer is not named in the contract announcement, Italy was the most recent U.S. partner to be approved for the acquisition of a modified G550. Under the terms of the December 2020 FMS approval, Italy was qualified for acquisition of two G550s modified with Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare (AISREW) mission systems. An estimated cost of $500 million was revealed at the time.
Under the FMS approval, Italy was authorized to receive ALE-47 countermeasure dispensers, MIDS-JTRS, MX-20HD EO/IR systems, and Osprey 50 radars, as well as other AISREW ISR equipment.
All work under this contract will be performed in Greenville, and is expected to be completed by June 2, 2026. The contract was fully funded at time of award, with the entire $71.9 million in FMS funds being obligated.
The U.S. 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is performing the role of contracting activity for this program. The DoD announced the contract on March 31, ahead of the contract’s actual award date.
Forecast International’s eight Military Electronic Systems Market Intelligence Services cover the full range of defense-related systems and programs in the radar, communications, electro-optical, and electronic warfare markets, presenting a comprehensive market outlook for current equipment as well as new systems being developed as the modern battlefield moves toward a technology-based warfare approach with network-centric capabilities. For more information, click here.
In his role as a Senior Defense Electronics Analyst at Forecast International, C. Zachary Hofer's studies focus primarily on air, land, and sea radar systems, as well as the airborne electronics segment.
