U.S. Army’s HADES prototype completes first flight in aerial intelligence modernization program

The US Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, or HADES, Prototype 1 completed its first flight on September 11, advancing the aerial intelligence modernisation programme. Sierra Nevada Corporation, the lead systems integrator, worked with the Army’s Fixed Wing Project Office after structural modifications, initial mission-hardware installation and airworthiness checks. The commercial-jet platform is intended to carry a larger sensing payload and fly higher, farther and faster than legacy turboprop intelligence aircraft. The next phase comprises mission-system integration and developmental testing of multi-domain sensing and signals intelligence capabilities before operational demonstrations.