Hensoldt Pegasus
PEGASUS is Germany’s airborne SIGINT and reconnaissance program. The project provides three modified Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft with a mission system to detect signals and radar emissions, helping the Bundeswehr record military radio traffic, create situation reports, and support self-protection systems. It aims to enable early crisis detection and thorough threat assessment in areas of interest or operation.
The program, led by the German company Hensoldt as general contractor, uses Lufthansa Technik Defense Service to handle the aircraft themselves. Bombardier Aviation/Defense and about 30 other German companies participate as subcontractors and system suppliers. PEGASUS stands for “persistent German airborne surveillance system.”
Background and scope
- After the German Navy retired its Breguet 1150 M Atlantic in 2010, Germany faced a gap in long-range airborne signal-detection capabilities. The plan originally leaned toward the MQ-4C Triton drone, but early 2020 decisions shifted to a crewed aircraft approach based on the Bombardier Global 6000 due to cost and civilian airspace safety concerns.
- The project includes three aircraft with the mission systems, plus an evaluation, reference, and training system. The total budget is about €1.54 billion.
Timeline and status
- The project began in June 2021 and has since progressed toward delivery. Financing from the Bundeswehr Special Fund has supported the program since 2023.
- The first flight occurred in the second half of September 2024 at Bombardier’s site in Wichita, Kansas.
- The basic qualification is planned for 2027, with full operation expected by then.
Bases and operation
- PEGASUS will be stationed at Schleswig Air Base, home to Tactical Air Force Squadron 51 “Immelmann.”
In short, PEGASUS provides Germany with three crewed, long-range airborne signal-detection platforms to monitor communications and radar, support crisis planning, and improve threat assessment.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:13 (CET).