Gulfstream MC-55A Peregrine (G550)

Gulfstream MC-55A Peregrine (G550) History

The MC-55A ?Peregrine? is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) SIGINT (SIGnals INTelligence) and ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence) special-mission aircraft built atop the framework of the Gulfstream G550 twin business jet. The versatile G550 is a proven performer, having been taken into service at various government, civilian, and military market levels.

In the latter part of 2015, the RAAF put in an order for two G550 aircraft (with an expanded interest for five) for Peregrine SIGINT/ELINT conversion. The work is handled by the United States with delivery to be had through RAAF Base Edinburgh. The move coincides with the modernization of the Aegis defense system featured in the Royal Australian Navy?s (RAN) Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD). The MC-55A will be used in the long-range maritime Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) role as well as Electronic Warfare (EW) and retains all of the capabilities inherent in the G550 bizjet.

Gulfstream MC-55A Peregrine (G550) Specification

BASICS

Service Year

2023

Origin

Australia / United States

Status

ACTIVE

In Limited Service.

Crew

12

Production

5

MANUFACTURER(S)

Gulfstream Aerospace - USA

OPERATORS

Australia (ordered)

ROLES

Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout

Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Special Forces

Serving Special Forces / Special Operations elements and missions.

NOTABLE QUALITIES

RADAR-CAPABLE

Houses, or can house (through specialized variants), radar equipment for searching, tracking, and engagement of enemy elements.

MULTI-ENGINE

Incorporates two or more engines, enhancing survivability and / or performance.

WING SWEEPBACK

Mainplanes, or leading edges, features swept-back lines for enhanced high-speed performance and handling.

WINGLETS

Mainplanes capped with winglets, providing improved fuel efficiency and enhanced handling.

HIGH-SPEED PERFORMANCE

Can accelerate to higher speeds than average aircraft of its time.

HIGH-ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE

Can reach and operate at higher altitudes than average aircraft of its time.

EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE

Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.

SUPER PERFORMANCE

Design covers the three all-important performance categories of speed, altitude, and range.

MARITIME OPERATION

Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.

CREWSPACE PRESSURIZATION

Supports pressurization required at higher operating altitudes for crew survival.

CREW-MANAGED

Beyond a pilot, the aircraft takes advantage of additional crew specialized in specific functions aboard the aircraft.

ENCLOSED CREWSPACE(S)

Features partially- or wholly-enclosed crew workspaces.

RETRACTABLE UNDERCARRIAGE

Features retracting / retractable undercarriage to preserve aerodynamic efficiency.

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS

Length

96. 5 ft

(29. 40 m)

Width/Span

93. 5 ft

(28. 50 m)

Height

25. 8 ft

(7. 87 m)

Empty Wgt

48,303 lb

(21,910 kg)

MTOW

77,162 lb

(35,000 kg)

Wgt Diff

+28,859 lb

(+13,090 kg)

MAINPLANE STRUCTURE

monoplane / low-mounted / swept-back

Monoplane

Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.

Low-Mounted

Mainplanes are low-mounted along the sides of the fuselage.

Swept-Back

The planform features wing sweep back along the leading edges of the mainplane, promoting higher operating speeds.

(Structural descriptors pertain to the Gulfstream MC-55A production variant)

POWER & PERFORMANCE

Installed:

2 x Rolls-Royce BR710 C4-11 non-afterburning turbofan engines developing 15,385lb of thrust each.

Max Speed

652 mph

(1,050 kph | 567 kts)

Cruise Speed

615 mph

(990 kph | 535 kts)

Max. Speed Diff

+37 mph

(+60 kph | 32 kts)

Ceiling

52,493 ft

(16,000 m | 10 mi)

Range

7,767 mi

(12,500 km | 23,150 nm)

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030

ARMAMENT

None. Mission-specific equipment carried for the ELectronic INTelligence and SIGnals INTelligence roles.

VARIANTS

MC-55A "Peregrine" - Base Series Designation.