Latest news with #Global6500
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Berjaya Land premium aviation arm Asia Jet's fleet gets Bombardier Global 6500 boost
PETALING JAYA: In a strategic move that redefines the standards of private aviation in the region, Berjaya Land Bhd has unveiled the latest jewel in premium aviation subsidiary Asia Jet's fleet – the ultra-long-range Bombardier Global 6500. This strategic acquisition marks a powerful leap forward for Asia Jet, opening a new frontier in luxury, connectivity and bespoke air travel. The Bombardier Global 6500 is not just an aircraft – it is a flying statement of power, prestige and possibility. Purpose-built for elite travellers, global leaders and discerning clientele, it embodies the perfect synergy between cutting-edge aerospace innovation and Berjaya Land's hallmark world-class hospitality. In a historic achievement, Asia Jet becomes the first operator in Malaysia to register and operate the Bombardier Global 6500 under a Malaysian Air Operator Certificate, a testament to its leadership in advancing premium private aviation across Southeast Asia. The Bombardier Global 6500 delivers an unrivalled combination of range, speed, space, and technology. With a range of 6,600 nautical miles and a cruising speed ofF Mach 0.90, the aircraft is engineered to fly non-stop from Kuala Lumpur to destinations such as Tokyo, London, Egypt and even as far as Iceland. Inside, its cabin offers 15 seats in an elite configuration, delivering a bespoke and immersive inflight experience that includes: ► Three spacious living areas including a private suite with an adjoining en-suite offering unrestricted access to the luggage bay. ► Convertible full lie-flat beds for deep rest and overnight travel. ► Five-star dining, curated by onboard culinary specialists. ► Fastest in-flight Wi-Fi in its class for seamless global connectivity. ► Advanced air purification system for superior inflight wellness. ► Next-generation wing and engine design for reduced vibration and ultra-smooth ride. ► Enhanced cockpit technology designed to maximize operational safety and flight precision One of the Global 6500's most significant attributes is its focus on fuel efficiency and environmental performance, which aligns with Berjaya Land's commitment to sustainable business practices. The aircraft features a highly optimised aerodynamic design, lightweight composite materials and next-generation engines that deliver a notably reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional long range jets. This efficiency translates to lower emissions per passenger and enhanced operational sustainability without compromising luxury or performance. This commitment to sustainability extends beyond air travel, as the Global 6500 also plays a role in enabling eco-conscious tourism experiences across Berjaya's hotel destinations, connecting the skies with the land through purpose-driven luxury. Thanks to the Global 6500's exceptional range, Asia Jet can now offer direct, ultra-luxurious journeys from Malaysia to Iceland, one of Berjaya Land's most distinctive international hospitality markets. Berjaya's properties in Iceland offer exclusive access to the country's majestic natural landscapes, geothermal wonders, and Nordic hospitality – now seamlessly accessible through Asia Jet's new ultra-long-range service. Asia Jet's strengthened fleet enhances Berjaya Land's position as a leading premium lifestyle group, connecting its aviation capabilities with its award-winning portfolio of luxury resorts, residences and experiences across Asia and Europe. The acquisition supports the group's ability to offer: ► Customised tourism packages for elite clientele. ► Exclusive corporate and diplomatic charters. ► Luxury travel solutions tied to high-profile events and executive movements. ► Integrated lifestyle experiences that begin in the skies and extend into memorable stays. 'This is more than just a new aircraft. It represents Berjaya Land's unwavering commitment to innovation, customer excellence, and sustainable luxury. The Bombardier Global 6500 gives us the ability to connect global markets, elevate premium service standards, and reinforce our identity as an integrated lifestyle brand. It's a game changer not just for Berjaya, but for the future of private aviation in the region' said Berjaya Land group CEO Syed Ali Shahul Hameed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ME-11B Official Designation Of Army's New Intelligence Gathering Business Jets
The U.S. Army has formally given the designation ME-11B to its forthcoming High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence-gathering aircraft. The modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jets will have extensive sensors suites that include the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System-2B (ASARS-2B) and could have the ability to launch drones. Last August, the Army awarded the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a contract valued at just under $1 billion to modify Global 6500s into the HADES configuration, as well as provide other support and services. Work under that contract was suspended until January of this year due to an ultimately unsuccessful protest by L3Harris, which had competed for the HADES deal as part of a team with Leidos and MAG Aerospace. Bombardier separately delivered the first Global 6500 for conversion in November 2024. 'The military mission design series designation of ME-11B was assigned to the Army's future aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, which will be based on the Bombardier Global 6500 platform,' a spokesperson for the Army's Program Executive Office for Aviation (PEO Aviation) confirmed to TWZ earlier this week. The designation here reflects that there is another militarized Global 6500 already in service with the U.S. armed forces, the U.S. Air Force's E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft. It's also worth noting here that the aircraft in the Air Force's initial fleet of E-11As were based on older Bombardier BD-700 and Global 6000 business jets. The BACN jets provide highly specialized communications capabilities that allow for the rapid transfer of data between various aerial platforms, as well as forces on land and at sea, which you can read more about here. The Army has also been making use of a small fleet of contractor-owned and operated business jets, including types based on the Global 6500, to help lay the ground for its future ME-11Bs. The 'M' in the ME-11B designation stands for 'multi-mission.' This is something that has been applied in the past to other crewed aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms with multiple sensor systems. This includes the Army's MC-12S Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) and the U.S. Air Force's MC-12W Liberty, both of which are based on the Beechcraft King Air series of twin-engine turboprops. The first MC-55A Peregrine for the @AusAirForce arrives at L3 Harris Greenville for test flight 2 in its completed, fully modified state. — 𝙎𝙍_𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 (@SR_Planespotter) January 22, 2025 The Army says the ME-11Bs will feature 'signals intelligence, synthetic aperture radar/moving target indicator [SAR/MTI], and additional built-in capabilities.' The main sensor system the aircraft will carry that we know about so far is the ASARS-2B radar, which was originally developed as an upgrade for the ASARS-2A used on the Air Force's famed U-2 spy planes. The Royal Air Force's (RAF) now-retired Sentinel R1s, which were based on the Bombardier Global Express, also carried a radar based on the ASARS-2A. The ASARS-2B radar will allow the HADES aircraft to collect SAR imagery, which are highly-detailed ground maps, and offers ground moving target indicator (GMTI) functionality to spot and track vehicles on the ground. ASARS-2B can be employed in either mode regardless of cloud cover, smoke, dust, or other obscurants down below, as well as at night. The GMTI data can be used for general intelligence purposes, as well as for mapping patterns of life and targeting. It can be overlaid on the SAR images to help further refine intelligence collection areas. The M part of the ME-11B might also point to additional capabilities or the potential to add them down the line. For instance, Australia, which designates military aircraft in a style similar to the United States, is in the process of acquiring a fleet of MC-55A Peregrine aircraft based on the Gulfstream G550 business jet that will be capable of performing ISR and electronic warfare missions. When it comes to the HADES jets, the use of the multi-mission designator could be, in part, a nod to Army interest in being able to employ so-called 'launched effects' from the aircraft. The Army uses the term launched effects as a catch-all for uncrewed aerial systems that can be deployed from aircraft (fixed wing and rotary, crewed and uncrewed) in flight, as well as ground or maritime platforms. The Army has a vision for a family of launched effects drones able to conduct ISR and electronic warfare missions, act as decoys, or even be employed as loitering munitions. The ME-11Bs are also expected to be able to carry additional stores, including ones that could expand the jet's defensive capabilities, on underwing pylons. 'We're looking at that with great interest as well, right?,' Andrew Evans, the ISR Task Force director within the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G-2), told Breaking Defense about possible underwing stores last year. 'Protecting something like this becomes very important.' Launched effects drones would also allow ME-11Bs to reach deeper into more heavily defended areas without putting the aircraft and its crew at greater risk. There have been persistent concerns about the survivability of the HADES aircraft, especially in any future high-end conflict like on the Pacific against China. U.S. officials only expect the air defense threat ecosystem to keep growing in scale and scope. This includes the prospect of anti-air missiles with ranges up to 1,000 miles, which would be well beyond the line-of-sight reach of the ME-11B's sensors. In general, the ME-11Bs will be able to fly higher, faster, and farther, and do so while carrying a bigger sensor payload, than the turboprop designs that currently make up the Army's crewed ISR fleets. Those capabilities will also allow the HADES jets to get to and from operating more rapidly and remain on station longer. There also continue to be questions about the overall capacity of the future ME-11B fleet, which the Army has said could consist of between 10 and 16 aircraft in total. The service currently has historically operated dozens of smaller turboprop crewed ISR aircraft globally, but has already been in the process of divesting many of them. HADES is just the first part of a planned Multi-Domain Sensing System (MDSS) 'system of systems.' The Army's current vision for the MDSS notably includes a High-Altitude Platform-Deep Sensing (HAP/DS) component. The service says HAP/DS 'will comprise the high-altitude layer and will be a Multi-Domain Operations-capable low-signature, high-altitude platform(s) (i.e., stratospheric balloons/solar fixed wing aircraft) operating in the stratosphere that will enable penetration into highly defended threat operational areas.' TWZ has previously reported on the Army's ongoing push to field high-altitude balloons for ISR and other missions, including launching swarms of drones, as well as the service's experimentation with high-altitude, extreme-endurance drones. The U.S. military, as a whole, is also increasingly looking to space-based capabilities to provide ISR coverage that has traditionally come from aerial assets in the past. As it stands now, the Army is hoping the first example of what is now dubbed the ME-11B, with its suite of intelligence-gathering and potentially other capabilities, will be ready for service by 2027. Contact the author: joe@
