US Army HADES Spy Plane Re-Enters Its Development Phase

14th Jan 2025
US Army HADES Spy Plane Re-Enters Its Development Phase

After a brief pause in the development of the US Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) spy plane, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) resumed work on the project. The delay was due to a protest from L3Harris, one of the firms that contested the project to develop HADES.

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Project HADES To Convert A Private Jet To A Spy Plane

Project HADES, a.k.a. High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, is the US Army’s effort to modernize its spy capabilities. This project aims to build a spy plane armed with up-to-standard intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (IRS) systems for use on various US Army missions.

This project was awarded to Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) back in August 2024. Other firms that applied for the contract were L3Harris, Leidos, and MAG Aerospace.

For this project, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) will convert a Bombardier Global 6500 business jet into an industry-standard spy plane. This conversion will include the arming of the jet with IRS equipment, making it able to spy on targets while in flight.

Purpose And Application

These jets will be employed on deep-sensing missions to gather information on the US Army rivals. This will help build the US Army’s strategic intelligence which is important for missions as the army will no longer need “multiple bed-down locations to access regional hotspots,” as Lt. Col. Matt Paladino, aerial chief of the ISR Task Force for the Army Military Intelligence Staff pointed out in an official statement in 2024.

Following the awarding of this contract to Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) L3Harris proceeded to protest the Army’s decision. This protest held back the development of HADES by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) up until a final decision from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

L3Harris VS Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC)

In an official statement, L3Harris pointed out their decision to file a “formal protest asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office to review the U.S. Army’s decision on the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) contract.” The firm filed the formal protest after reviewing information during the US Army’s debrief process on the HADES project.

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) shot back at L3Harris’ decision to file for a formal protest to the competitor’s review, calling it “inaccurate and incorrect.” Josh Walsh, SNC Vice President, said that his firm “believes the protest is not technical in nature.”

Official Desicion On L3Harris’ Protest

He added that the protest is a minor administrative issue and isn’t ground enough for a protest that will delay HADES development. L3Harris filed the protest on 16 September 2025. It remained unresolved until 26 December 2024, when the GAO received a verdict from the oversight agency.

A few days ago, the GAO made an official decision regarding L3Harris’ protest. As a result, this cleared the way for Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to begin developing project HADES. Over the course of the project, which will last for 12 years with a budget of up to £810 million ($1 billion), the US Army expects to receive 14 spy planes by the end of the contract.

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