Gulfstream G550

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The Gulfstream G550 is an American business jet aircraft produced by the General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. A version with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500. Gulfstream ceased production of the G550 in July 2021.

The U.S. Military uses the Gulfstream G550 design as the C-37B and EA-37B Compass Call, the related Gulfstream V is the C-37A.

DevelopmentEdit

File:Gulfstream Aerospace G-V-SP Gulfstream G550 AN1299906.jpg

G550 cabin

The first production G550 (GV-SP) flew on 18 July 2002 and the aircraft received its FAA type certificate on August 14, 2003.<ref name= typeCert>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, Gulfstream looked at a re-engine with the Rolls-Royce Pearl BR700 development announced in May 2018 for the new Global Express 5500 and 6500 variants but preferred the BR725-powered, 7,500 nmi G650.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 500th Gulfstream G550 aircraft was delivered in May 2015.<ref name=500thPR>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Deliveries went from 50 aircraft in 2011 to 19 in 2016 and with 40 units for sale in a fleet of 540. Valuations of the G550 are falling: a 10-year-old G550 valued $28 million a year before is worth $18-$20 million in January 2017, while a two-year-old went from $40 to $35 million.<ref name=Flight18jan2017>Template:Cite news</ref> In May 2017, early 2003 G550s were valued at $14 million against more than $45 million for newly purchased aircraft, flying an average of 425 hours per year.<ref name=BCA27Apr2017>Template:Cite news</ref> In December 2018, a 2012-2013 G550 was valued $28-31 million, and cost $7,135 per hour for 400 hours a year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As it was replaced by the Gulfstream G600 by October 2019, the G550 was kept in limited production for long-term special missions applications and government orders.<ref name=BCA23oct2019>Template:Cite news</ref>

The final commercially available G550 was delivered in June 2021 after more than 600 of the aircraft were produced.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

DesignEdit

File:Gulfstream G550 flight deck.jpg

G550 flight deck

Compared to the Gulfstream V, drag reduction details boost range by Template:Cvt and increase fuel efficiency. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is increased by Template:Cvt and takeoff performance is enhanced. A seventh pair of windows is added and the entry door is moved Template:Cvt forward to increase usable cabin length. The PlaneView flight deck features cursor control devices, Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, standard head-up guidance system by Rockwell Collins and enhanced vision system by Elbit, improving situational awareness in reduced visibility conditions.<ref name=BCA27Apr2017/>

Initial long-range cruise altitude is FL 400-410, first hour fuel burn is Template:Cvt decreasing for the second hour to Template:Cvt for the last hour. Flight hourly budget is $700-950 for engine reserves, $250 for parts and 2.5 maintenance hours. It competes against the Bombardier Global 6000, which has higher direct operating costs and less range but a more spacious cross section, and the Dassault Falcon 7X with fly-by-wire flight controls, better fuel efficiency and a wider but shorter cabin.<ref name=BCA27Apr2017/>

VariantsEdit

Template:Visible anchor: The same as the Gulfstream V or GV with a new flightdeck display system, airframe aerodynamic and engine improvements, main entry door moved forward, also marketed as the G550.

File:N504GS-Gulfstream7-G500-farnborough2016-A1377.jpg

Gulfstream G500 at Farnborough air show, 2016

G500: The Gulfstream G500 has a reduced fuel capacity.<ref name= typeCert/> Introduced in 2004 as a shorter Template:Convert range version, it has the same exterior appearance, as well as the PlaneView cockpit, but Visual Guidance System (HUD) and Enhanced Vision System (EVS) are options. Its unit cost was Template:AircraftCost.
G550: Marketing name for the GV-SP. In 2021, its equipped price was $54.5M (~$Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:U.S. Air Force, 09-0525, Gulfstream Aerospace C-37B (27878765353).jpg

U.S. Air Force C-37B.

C-37B: U.S. military designation for the G550 in a VIP passenger configuration.
EA-37B Compass Call: U.S. military designation G550 version in an Electronic Warfare configuration to replace USAF's existing EC-130H Compass Call aircraft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Previously known as EC-37B, on November 14, 2023, Air Combat Command redesignated the platform as EA-37B to better identify its mission of finding and attacking enemy land or sea targets.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NC-37B: U.S. military designation for proposed G550 with the "Conformal AEW" body shape for use as range telemetry aircraft for U.S. Navy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

MC-55A Peregrine: Royal Australian Air Force designation for SIGINT and ELINT intelligence gathering variant.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:RSAF Gulfstream IAI G550 CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning).jpg

Republic of Singapore Air Force G550 with EL/W-2085 radar system

G550 CAEW: Israel has acquired a number of G550s, fitted with the EL/W-2085 sensor package (a newer derivative of the Phalcon system) for Airborne Early Warning (AEW) use and named the aircraft Eitam. This aircraft is heavily modified for the AEW role by Gulfstream's partner, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and is also called CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) by Gulfstream Special Missions Department.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Israel has also acquired a number of G550s dubbed SEMA (Special Electronic Missions Aircraft) with systems EL/I-3001 integration also carried out by IAI.<ref name=IsraelreceivefirstEitam>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2012, Italy acquired two G550 CAEWs as part of a counter-deal to Israel's $1 billion (~$Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year) order for 30 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers.<ref name=FG120720>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2022, Italy ordered two additional aircraft.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Singapore ordered four similar G550 CAEW aircraft equipped with the EL/W-2085 sensor package from Gulfstream and IAI.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

E-550A: Italian military designation for the G550 CAEW<ref name="dgaa">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Air-to-air refueling variant: Israel Aerospace Industries has studied adapting the G550 for air-to-air refueling use.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

OperatorsEdit

File:Gulfstream G550.svg

Gulfstream G550 government and military operators

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The aircraft is operated by numerous governments, private individuals, companies and executive charter operators. A number of companies also use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs.