Sierra Nevada Corporation's first ME-11B HADES high-altitude reconnaissance jet prototype is on track for completion by December 31, 2026, under a $991.3 million contract. The U.S. Army cut the planned fleet from 14 to 6 aircraft in 2025 as part of its Army Transformation Initiative.
What's happening
- Sierra Nevada is converting Bombardier Global 6500 business jets into ME-11B reconnaissance aircraft equipped with Raytheon ASARS-2B radar and signals intelligence systems under a 12-year contract.
- The first prototype aircraft is expected to complete by December 31, 2026, with a second aircraft scheduled for 2027.
- The planned fleet was reduced from 14 to 6 aircraft under the 2025 Army Transformation Initiative, a 57% reduction.
- The aircraft will replace more than 40 RC-12X Guardrail, MC-12S EMARSS, and EO-5C ARL-M reconnaissance aircraft across the Army's inventory.
Why it matters
- The ME-11B consolidates aging reconnaissance platforms into 6 high-altitude jets, reducing the fleet footprint while maintaining ISR coverage across extended distances.
- Raytheon ASARS-2B sensor integration establishes a modernized radar and SIGINT capability for detecting troop movements and electronic emissions at high altitude.
- The reduction from 14 to 6 aircraft cuts planned procurement costs, but limits concurrent airframe production and mission overlap during service entry transitions.
Going deeper
- The Global 6500 airframe offers 15,545-meter maximum altitude and 12,223-kilometer range, enabling long-duration Pacific operations with theoretical mission durations supporting 5.3 hours of surveillance time on 12-hour missions.
- Sierra Nevada's $93 million proposal undercut L3Harris, Leidos, and MAG Aerospace's $133 million combined offer, which the Army rated as technically unacceptable.
- L3Harris challenged the award in September 2024, but the GAO rejected the protest in December 2024, allowing work to resume January 6, 2025.
Financial impact
- The $991.3 million contract ceiling covers integration and support, not a unit purchase price; revenue recognition will occur over the 12-year performance period as aircraft complete conversion and testing, timing not disclosed.
- Sierra Nevada's initial $93.5 million integration contract was awarded in August 2024; the larger ceiling covers prototyping, sensor integration, and long-term contractor-operated support.
- Congressional funding delays could further compress the delivery schedule and affect the timeline for all six aircraft entering service.
The intrigue
- The Army plans to retain its contractor-operated reconnaissance fleet during the transition from legacy RC-12X and MC-12S aircraft, raising questions about interim ISR capacity and cost of running two fleets in parallel.
- The contract does not establish an operational service entry date for all 6 aircraft, leaving uncertainty about when the fleet achieves full capability and legacy aircraft can be retired.
The fine print
- The $991.3 million is a contract ceiling; obligated funds and annual appropriation levels are not disclosed.
- The first prototype is expected to complete by December 31, 2026, but operational demonstration and assignment to intelligence collection missions have no confirmed timeline.
- The aircraft's actual mission radius, fuel consumption, and endurance remain unconfirmed, meaning civilian Global 6500 performance data cannot establish operational surveillance duration.
Source: armyrecognition.com · Oct 20, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
