Luftwaffe stands up future PEGASUS squadron

An artist's impression of the Global 6000-based PEGASUS SIGINT aircraft for the Luftwaffe at ILA 2024 in Berlin. (Hensodlt via Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The Luftwaffe has stood up the squadron that is to operate the Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System (PEGASUS).

The service announced the milestone on 10 October, noting that Tactical Air Force Wing 51 ‘Immelmann' at Jagel has commissioned a third squadron to operate the three Global 6000 business jet-based PEGASUS airframes.

The first airframe was rolled out in June, with the Canadian-based airframer completing the foundational modification work package at its Wichita facility in the US. Further modification and signals intelligence (SIGINT) mission system integration is to be undertaken by Lufthansa Technik Defense and Hensoldt respectively in Germany. The remaining two aircraft are undergoing modifications in Bombardier's facility.

PEGASUS will be equipped with the Hensoldt Kalaetron Integral system. The Luftwaffe expects to use the PEGASUS to provide NATO with SIGINT capability from 2025.

“Thanks to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) branch of the Bundeswehr, [the Luftwaffe] will soon close a capability gap, because in order to be able to take action against potential opponents' air-defence systems, we must first detect their signals. This is the only way to draw the right conclusions for disrupting and combating them,” the Luftwaffe said on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Janes was recently told by an official speaking under the Chatham House Rule that the separate Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme to provide NATO with an airborne electronic attack capability, which was due in 2025 before being put back to 2030, has now been “put on hold” while the Luftwaffe prioritises the introduction of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter into service.