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The Italian Air Force is set to bolster its airborne electronic warfare capabilities, awarding a contract to BAE Systems to support the conversion of two Gulfstream G550 business jets into dedicated electronic attack (EA) platforms.
Under a US$12 million (approximately AU$18 million) subcontract from L3Harris, BAE Systems will supply critical components, including aircraft racks, radomes, cables, and harnesses that will enable the integration of cutting-edge electronic warfare (EW) mission systems.
Once operational, the aircraft will be capable of disrupting and degrading enemy command and control, communications, navigation, and air defence systems at long range.
“This modification work is a critical step toward delivering advanced EA capabilities to the Italian Air Force,” said Cory Casalegno, director for Coalition Electronic Attack at BAE Systems. “Providing high-powered, long-range jamming capabilities to an important US ally broadens the strength of the global allied fleet and supports the mission of the US Air Force.”
The upgrade will transform the Gulfstream G550s, renowned for their high-altitude, long-endurance performance, into agile platforms capable of suppressing enemy air defences from stand-off ranges.
These aircraft will mirror the growing global trend of militarising business jets for high-end missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and now electronic attack.
The announcement comes as Australia fields its own fleet of highly specialised G550-based aircraft: the MC-55A Peregrine. Acquired under Project AIR 555, the Peregrine is designed to perform advanced signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic surveillance missions for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
While the Italian platforms are being optimised for jamming and electronic attack, Australia’s Peregrines focus on electronic intelligence gathering, underscoring the versatility of the G550 airframe in modern warfare.
The Italian Air Force’s investment continues a broader trend among US allies seeking to expand their independent electronic warfare capabilities amid rising strategic tensions across Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
BAE Systems’ EA systems are designed to be modular and scalable, offering both offensive and defensive electromagnetic spectrum dominance in contested environments.
Italy’s choice to adopt G550-based platforms aligns closely with NATO’s push to strengthen EW readiness and interoperable capabilities, particularly in response to Russia’s increasingly sophisticated use of electronic and cyber warfare in Eastern Europe.
Australia’s experience with the MC-55A Peregrine also demonstrates the value of such platforms in the Indo-Pacific, where electronic dominance is seen as critical to deterring great power conflict and protecting high-value assets in vast, contested air and maritime domains.
With both Italy and Australia adopting variants of the G550 for advanced EW roles, the Gulfstream airframe is fast becoming a cornerstone for 21st-century electromagnetic warfare capabilities among key Western allies.
