US Army modernisation plans have created a need for a new dedicated fixed-wing pilot training fleet for aviators operating the latest business jet-based ISR platforms.

According to a 16 July announcement entitled ‘Sources Sought for Long-Range Business Jet-Class Platform(s) for Training’, US Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is seeking information on potential concepts and ideas on behalf of the Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) Product Directorate of the Fixed Wing Project Office (FWPO), which has ‘an emerging potential requirement for additional pilot training (ground and flight) for Army aviators in a long-range business jet class aircraft [Bombardier] (BD-700 series)’... Continues below

This analysis article originally appeared in August's Decisive Edge Military Training Newsletter.

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What does this mean in practice? Clarifying that the market research is ‘for planning purposes only’, the announcement identifies interest, beginning 1 October 2025 (the first day of FY2025), in a contractor capable of providing three BD-700 Global series aircraft for ‘Training as a Service’.

These aircraft should be FAA FAR Part 25 certified, Communication Navigation and Surveillance/Global Air Traffic Management and Future Air Navigation System-1/A compliant, with crew rest facilities and, crucially, functioning lavatories.

It explains that the army will be utilising aircraft with an FAA BD-700 type certification for the HADES programme of record, adding, as a result, ‘it is desirable for the Army to assess the feasibility of training using the same type certification’.

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HADES (High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System) is described by programme participants as the army’s next-generation aerial ISR platform designed to conduct deep sensing collection in support of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO).

The US Army’s ISR Task Force, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Training (ASA(ALT)) and others partnered with industry to inform and develop the advanced sensors HADES needs to meet the demands of MDO.

Highlighting the programme during this spring’s Project Convergence – Capstone 4 event at Camp Pendleton, California, representatives for the ISR Task Force noted that HADES’ intended missions are currently conducted by variants of the Guardrail and Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System turboprop aircraft.

However, these platforms lack the required altitude performance to enable deep sensing and lack the range needed in a global threat landscape.

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Solving those deficiencies has resulted in the new army requirement for jet pilot training, which the service expects to begin at Fort Novosel, Alabama (formerly Fort Rucker) in FY2025, providing initial flight crews for the FY2026 arrival of HADES prototype one.

Current program schedules show HADES that aircraft entering service around the end of FY2026 followed by prototype two in the FY2027 timeframe. Long-range programme plans reflect a fleet of 14 aircraft – 12 operational on a global basis with two CONUS-based aircraft to be utilised for force generation requirements.

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