Australia receives second MC-55A Peregrine intelligence aircraft for Indo-Pacific surveillance.

Australia received its second MC-55A Peregrine airborne intelligence aircraft at RAAF Base Edinburgh on March 12, 2026, following a ferry flight from the United States with stops in Hawaii and Guam.

The second MC-55A Peregrine ISR aircraft arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh, Australia, on March 12, 2026, following a ferry flight from the United States with stops in Hawaii and Guam. The airborne intelligence aircraft, derived from the Gulfstream G550, will join the Royal Australian Air Force's No. 10 Squadron to support signals intelligence collection and electromagnetic surveillance across the Indo-Pacific region.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The second MC-55A Peregrine departed from Greenville Majors Airport in Texas on March 9, 2026, then onward to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii and Guam before the final flight to Australia. (Picture source: X/Airman941)

On March 12, 2026, Airman941 photographed the arrival of the second MC-55A Peregrine airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare aircraft at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. This aircraft, made in the U.S. for the Royal Australian Air Force, departed from Greenville Majors Airport in Texas on March 9, 2026, where L3Harris performs mission system integration and airframe modification for the Peregrine program, then onward to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii and Guam before the final sector. Acquired under Project AIR 555 Phase 1, the second MC-55A Peregine, registered N567G and operating with the callsign SAME55, carried a crew complement reported as six personnel during the ferry flight.

The aircraft is the second unit delivered to Australia, following the arrival of the first MC-55A on January 22, 2026. Both aircraft are part of a planned fleet of four missionized Gulfstream G550 aircraft acquired to provide Australia with a dedicated airborne intelligence and electronic warfare capability. The MC-55A Peregrine program came from Australia’s requirement to establish a sovereign airborne intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare capability after the retirement of modified AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that previously provided signals intelligence support. The program is managed through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework with the U.S. Air Force acting as acquisition and test authority.

Approval for the possible sale of modified Gulfstream G550s with Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare mission systems was issued by the U.S. Department of State on June 23, 2017, with an estimated cost of $1.3 billion at that stage of the process. In March 2019, the Australian government confirmed the acquisition of four aircraft under Project AIR 555 at a program value of A$2.46 billion. The program includes aircraft modification, mission system integration, ground processing systems, crew training infrastructure, and sustainment support. L3Harris serves as the prime contractor responsible for integrating mission systems and performing structural modifications at facilities in Greenville, Texas, and Savannah, Georgia. 

The MC-55A Peregrine is derived from the Gulfstream G550 long-range business jet, an American aircraft measuring 29.4 meters in length with a wingspan of 28.5 meters and a maximum takeoff weight of 41,277 kilograms. The Peregrine is powered by two Rolls-Royce BR710 C4-11 turbofan engines producing 15,385 pounds of thrust each, which provide a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, cruise speeds between Mach 0.80 and Mach 0.85, and a maximum range of about 12,500 kilometers, enabling surveillance missions exceeding 15 hours. These performance characteristics allow the aircraft to operate at high altitude and long distances from potential threats while maintaining persistent electromagnetic surveillance coverage over large geographic areas.

The G550 was selected because of its endurance, high altitude performance, and relatively low operating cost compared with larger signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft. Transforming the G550 into the MC-55A Peregrine required extensive structural modifications and integration of specialized electronic systems. The most visible external modification is a large canoe-shaped fairing installed along the lower fuselage that houses electronic intelligence sensors and antenna arrays used for wideband radio frequency collection. Additional antennas are distributed across the fuselage and wings, forming an extensive antenna network capable of intercepting electromagnetic emissions across multiple frequency bands. The airframe also includes a bulbous tail cone housing additional sensors and a satellite communications antenna installed on the dorsal fuselage.

The MC-55A Peregrine can detect radar and communications emitters and transmit targeting data to other aircraft capable of conducting electronic attack or aerial strikes. (Picture source: Australian MoD)

These modifications are combined with upgrades to onboard power generation, cooling systems, and mission computing infrastructure required to support such high-power electronic sensors. The resulting aircraft represents a highly modified configuration of the baseline G550 designed specifically for Australia's intelligence missions. The MC-55A carries a multi-intelligence mission system designed to collect, process, and disseminate signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), and communications intelligence (COMINT) across the electromagnetic spectrum. These systems allow the Peregrine to detect radar emissions, intercept communications signals, and map the electromagnetic environment across wide operational areas.

Electronic support measures onboard the aircraft allow the detection and classification of radar systems, while signals intelligence receivers intercept military communications across HF, VHF, and UHF bands. The aircraft’s mission computers process these signals in flight and can generate geolocation data identifying the origin of electronic emitters. This information contributes to the creation of an electronic order of battle that identifies radar networks, communications nodes, and electronic warfare systems operating in a region. The aircraft can also transmit processed intelligence through secure data links to other military assets and command networks in near real time. 

Operationally, the MC-55A Peregrine is designed to function as a sensor node within Australia’s broader Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) architecture. The aircraft will operate from RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia under the control of No. 10 Squadron, which previously operated the RAAF’s AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft. Edinburgh already hosts several surveillance systems, including the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned surveillance aircraft. The Peregrine is intended to cooperate with these assets to provide electromagnetic intelligence data supporting maritime surveillance and regional monitoring tasks.

Additional forward operating infrastructure for the aircraft has been planned at RAAF Base Darwin in the Northern Territory, RAAF Base Townsville in Queensland, and the Cocos Keeling Islands territory in the Indian Ocean, enabling forward deployment for operations covering the Indo-Pacific region and Australia’s northern maritime approaches. Within joint operations, the MC-55A will connect multiple combat and surveillance systems through secure communications and data links. Aircraft such as the F-35A Lightning II, the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft, and the EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft are intended to operate alongside the Peregrine within a networked battlespace architecture.

The MC-55A can detect radar and communications emitters and transmit targeting data to other aircraft capable of conducting electronic attack or kinetic strikes. The aircraft also supports maritime operations by sharing intelligence with naval surface combatants and amphibious ships operating in the region. Through these connections, the Peregrine contributes to the development of a networked, multi-domain operational concept where electronic intelligence collection supports decision making and targeting across air, maritime, and land forces. The delivery of the second MC-55A Peregrine aircraft, therefore, represents the continued build-up of Australia’s airborne electronic intelligence capability under Project AIR 555.

Four aircraft are planned for the fleet and are expected to receive Royal Australian Air Force serial numbers beginning with the A51 prefix. The aircraft will progressively enter operational service with No. 10 Squadron as training, tactics development, and mission system integration continue. As additional aircraft are delivered, the fleet will expand Australia’s capacity to monitor radar systems, communications networks, and electronic activity across large areas of the Indo-Pacific region. The combination of long endurance, high altitude operation, and integrated intelligence systems allows the MC-55A to conduct persistent electromagnetic surveillance while supporting coalition operations with partners such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.