The new G650er will take over the urgent medical transportation tasks currently designated in Dassault Falcon 50 and Falcon 900.
The Italian Air Force received the first two GULFSTREAM G650ers To use it to transfer VIP and medical transport in emergency situations. The two planes flew from the GULFSTREAM production facilities in Appleton and Wisconsin, to their new home at CIAMPINO Airport, near Rome, where they arrived on the morning of April 12, 2025, with Callsigns IAM3143 and IAM3170.
The two flights were followed by online flying trackers after the possible delivery of G650er delivery this month. The two planes fell Ciaampino45 -minute runway, flight photographer Luka de Blassi He was able to photograph one of them.
The new Golf Stream G650 of the Italian Air Force is on their way to Rome Siambine for delivery. pic.twitter.com/2pih7adlxo
– Itamilradar (ITamilradar) April 12, 2025
The plane was drawn in a flower similar to Falcon 900EXIt includes a blue line from the tail to the nose, which it only boycotted by writing “Repubblica ITALIANA” (Italian Republic) and a small Italian flag, below the windows of the fuselage. Another tape, this time, begins with the colors of the Italian flag, over the rear windows, where you can see the writing “Aeronautica Militare” (Italian Air Force), and ends up on the vertical stabilizer, where it meets the European flag. The wings are also characterized by the Italian flag.
According to the Italian Ministry of Defense design series, the new plane is expected to be set as the VC-650A. Likewise, the plane to be replaced by VC-50 and VC-900.
Urgent acquisition
G650ers will replace Dassault Falcon 50 And Falcon 900 fleets for 31 ° Stormo, as announced in 2023 Multi -year defense planning Which stated that the sustainability study showed that the replacement cannot be postponed anymore. In fact, the current fleet is made of two Falcon 50, which has accumulated More than 30 years of serviceThree Falcon 900, which is nearly 20 years old.
the Documents of the Ministry of Defense He said in 2023 that the urgency of the acquisition was dictated by the fact that the VC-50 will be retired by 2024, which cuts half of the medical transport capacity in emergency situations. One of them appears to be from the remaining VC-50s still flying today, and the VC-650 is expected to be delivered before its retirement.
The intention of ITAF is to replace the old plane on one basis to one, and in fact the Ministry of Defense said in 2023 it is working to get four GULFSTREAMs with other options. After the completion of the acquisition in December 2024, the decision was delayed regarding the option until the necessary financial coverage is granted.
G650ers is obtained in the MEVAC composition, in line with the role of medical transport in specific emergency situations, comprehensive for military navigation systems and safe communication provisions and Self -protection systems. An integrated logistical support package is also obtained, and it is interesting that the service also evaluates the transfer of hawks to GULFSTREAM when it is rejected.
requirements
The document, which was released in 2023, says GULFSTREAM G650ER is completely satisfied with all the requirements of the Italian Air Force, prevailing in all other solutions. Specifically, the requirements were:
- High cruise speed (Mach 0.90), long -term (exceeding 13,000 km), maximum control of the cabin environment (compressor in FL500 equivalent in less than 1500 meters) to get the best survival opportunities for patients;
- He is able to transport 19 passengers on the peripheral roads (from Italy to the western coast of the United States of America, South America, Japan, Australia) without stopping;
- Full logistical support all over the world in every continent for corrective maintenance after failures;
- Modern and effective engines with low ecosystem;
- Common fleet with other assets already in the service (Specifically G550) To reduce training needs for pilots and governors, the best logistics services and reduce operational costs.
The final G650s
The contract, which is valued at 330 million euros, is explicitly mentioned the production of four aircraft, so it will be newly built. Interestingly, the Italian Air Force G650ers is among the last to be produced, as GULFSTREAM Aerospace announced in February Another plane has been built.
Mark Burns, president of GULFSTREAM, said that the G650ER and the “normal G650” became “industry standard” and recently exceeded a million hours.
“Since their construction, the G650 and G650er have become the industrial standard that all others have followed, and recently exceeded an hour of a million -meter trip,” Burns said. “In addition to the endless prizes for the program and more than 125 of the global speed records, innovations were presented with the fine manufacturing process and the GULFSTREAM fleet for the next generation.”
Thanks again to Luca Di Blasi for the image he sent to us and make sure to follow it Instagram For more!