Australia a top 5 Aerial Electronic Warfare Power?

via THE DRIVE with Tyler Rogoway.

As if this weren’t enough, the RAAF is now moving to order five of what are likely to be the most advanced electronic warfare aircraft in the world—a specialized variant of the Gulfstream G550 outfitted primarily for high-end and long-range electronic warfare and intelligence gathering purposes. The sale, which includes the modified jets and their specialized systems, along with total lifetime end-to-end support, which includes training, ground control interfaces and other infrastructure and services, is said to cost $1.3B, or roughly $260M per aircraft.

These aircraft will also have other roles, including working as communications and networking “hubs,” as well as electronic reconnaissance aircraft. This way they can build up a real-time "picture" of an enemy's electronic order of battle and pass that information to other combat aircraft in the battlespace. It is likely they will also eventually act as a “gateway” translator between the F-35’s stealthy MADL data-link system and MIDS/Link 16 used by RAAF tactical aircraft and other combat aircraft, like the service’s E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. 

Story here. 

First.  If you're not subscribed to Tyler over at THE DRIVE then you're missing out.  Go there, get on his mailing list (if he ever gets it fixed) and start reading his stuff.

Second.  Wow.  Didn't see this one coming.  Tyler makes a good case to even suggest that in some ways the Aussies might be ahead of us in this arena.

I definitely need to read up on what's being done with those Gulfstreams...they're the new hotness and everyone, everywhere seems to be using them for either EA or as a fast AWACS.