The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will soon achieve full operational capability of this aircraft.
The new aircraft, dubbed “Oron,” will enable the Israeli Air Force (IAF) to get a very detailed picture of a vast area to generate targets. It will be the most advanced in its category.
IAI is marketing the special mission aircraft under the name MARS 2.
The platform is a G-550 business aircraft manufactured by Gulfstream.
Elta, the electronics subsidiary of IAI, is equipping the aircraft with special sensors that, according to the company, will be capable of supplying a very detailed picture of vast areas of land and sea.
A company source said that the new aircraft will perform missions similar to the JSTARS aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, but with increased qualities. “No other country in the world will have these capabilities produced by sensors carried by a business jet,” the source added.
The source also mentioned that the four antennas of the AESA radar – two on the sides of the aircraft, one on its nose, and one on its tail – will cover 360 degrees. They pointed out that some of the sensors were developed specifically for this aircraft.
The AESA radar is capable of covering “thousands of square kilometers” with high resolution, according to the source.
IAI says that the aircraft will be capable of performing all its missions from standoff ranges and from high altitudes. The resolution will not decrease because of the range and altitude and will enable excellent terrain dominance, the company claims.
The company source revealed that most of the data processing will be performed on board so that only the relevant data is transferred to the fighting units. “This will enable the fighting units to hit time-critical targets,” the source said.
The aircraft will have a 6-8 person crew that will operate the different sensors.
According to IAI, the new special mission aircraft will be capable of producing thousands of targets in the monitored area.
The Oron, which is operated by the IAF, is the latest addition to the IAF’s 122 Squadron operating airborne early warning and control and signals intelligence special mission aircraft, all based on the G-550.
