Italy signs G550 AEW deal with Israel

[easyand2]

Israel Aerospace Industries will supply the Italian air force with two Gulfstream G550-based conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) and control system aircraft, under a deal worth $750 million.
Also including ground support equipment and a package of logistics services, the contract is part of a counter-deal to Israel's $1 billion order for 30 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers, signed in Rome on 19 July. IAI will also develop, manufacture and supply an observation satellite to Italy's Telespazio under an additional agreement worth $182 million.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...israel-374579/

[EITAN88]

Good news for both countries!

[Excalibur]

Good for both countries. both of them have so much to offer.
I wonder if purchasing A129 Mangusta light attack helopters from AgustaWestland in order to replace old cobras in IAF would make sense as military cooperation between two countries deepens.

[EITAN88]

Good for both countries. both of them have so much to offer.
I wonder if purchasing A129 Mangusta light attack helopters from AgustaWestland in order to replace old cobras in IAF would make sense as military cooperation between two countries deepens.

It seems that the IAF is interested in new helicopters for naval purposes, so that's something to look out for.

[Camera]

A much more detailed artile about the commercial agreements being signed and the companies to benefit from the M346, G550, Satellite deal: http://defense-update.com/20120720_i...contracts.html

[-Max2-]

Good for Italy.

The AMI had a long-standing requirement for AEW aircrafts (since the early 90s at least) but the project was constantly postponed for budgetary reasons. Glad that it finally materialized.

[JGXL836]

Good for both countries. both of them have so much to offer.
I wonder if purchasing A129 Mangusta light attack helopters from AgustaWestland in order to replace old cobras in IAF would make sense as military cooperation between two countries deepens.

Cobras are unlikely to be replaced by anything but Apache Longbows.

[muttbutt]

Cool, the Italian AF has been looking for this capability for a long time...very useful for multinational ops too.

Just reading up on the G500 CAEW it's been mentioned it also has pretty extensive ELINT/COMINT capability, anyone know any more on that?

[JGXL836]

Just reading up on the G500 CAEW it's been mentioned it also has pretty extensive ELINT/COMINT capability, anyone know any more on that?

The ELINT/COMINT version is probably the G500 SEMA (Special Electronic Missions Aircraft), unlike G550 CAEW with wide conformal "cheeks", it has a long conformal "chin".

Compare: http://www.gulfstream.com/news/relea...ht_highres.jpg