The second of two commercial derivative aircraft (CDA) has arrived at Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) for transformation into the company’s new, rapidly configurable, aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (AISR) platform, RAPCON-X™.
RAPCON-X is the newest addition to SNC’s turnkey, AISR as a service model for contractor-owned-contractor-operated (COCO) capabilities – including aircraft, pilot, flight and maintenance operations and logistics support deployable in hours of notice.
SNC Executive Vice President Tim Owings took receipt of the Bombardier Global 6500 jet from Bombardier Aerospace Vice President of Defense Sales Michael Anckner. SNC received the first RAPCON-X aircraft in November, continuing engineering and working to integrate key systems immediately. The arrival of the second RAPCON-X jet leaves SNC poised to have both aircraft operational by Q1 of 2024.
Our forward-looking design process and engineering techniques place RAPCON-X among the most capable and rapidly configurable AISR platforms worldwide.
RAPCON-X is a system-of-systems that arrives ready to complete the mission, whenever and wherever the need is, quickly modifying as the battlespace evolves.
Tim Owings, executive vice president of SNC’s MST business area
RAPCON-X is engineered ready for Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) installation. Its large body and unique design provide the space and excess electrical power to easily accommodate current mission equipment while allowing for substantial future growth in requirements. Further, as a CDA, RAPCON-X offers the high reliability, superior range and endurance to facilitate immediate worldwide deployability within an operational envelope that enhances survivability.
Combining ASE with deep-sensing standoff capability – from 45,000 feet MSL and above – RAPCON-X allows operations in the peer near-peer, A2/AD environment. It is self-contained and fully mission capable without special support equipment.
