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United States Sierra Nevada Corporation
RAPCON-X
Sierra Nevada Corporation's rapidly-reconfigurable aerial ISR jet, built on the Bombardier Global 6500 business-jet airframe using model-based systems engineering to speed integration of new mission systems. Fielded operationally as ATHENA-S under the US Army's HADES program and separately selected to re-equip the Finnish Border Guard's aircraft fleet.
In service since 2024
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
Pricing: SNC awarded a $554 million US Army contract to modernize its A-ISR jet fleet with RAPCON-X, plus a separate $170 million contract to deliver two RAPCON-X jets to the Finnish Border Guard's MVX program
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2024. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
2 comparable systems from 2 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: systems in its class built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
RAPCON-X (Rapidly Configurable to Any Mission-X) is Sierra Nevada Corporation's reconfigurable aerial-ISR aircraft solution, built around the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet and engineered using model-based systems engineering (MBSE) to shorten the time needed to integrate new sensors and mission capabilities. SNC completed the type's inaugural flight from its Hagerstown, Maryland facility in November 2024, and by April 2026 had completed contractor and government testing for the operational variant, designated ATHENA-S, under the US Army's Theater-Level High Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Signals Intelligence (HADES) program; two ATHENA-S jets began Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated (COCO) service that month, replacing legacy RC-12X Guardrail, MC-12S EMARSS and EO-5C ARL-M turboprops divested by the Army in December 2025. The Army's HADES program sought up to 14 Global 6500-based aircraft as of a January 2026 request for information. Beyond the US Army, SNC was separately awarded a $170 million contract to deliver two RAPCON-X jets to the Finnish Border Guard under its MVX fleet-modernization program, and won a $554 million US Army contract covering broader A-ISR jet modernization.
Full specifications
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 30.3 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 28.65 m |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Specifications compiled from public Sierra Nevada Corporation and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-24.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) KJ-2000 (Mainring) Frequently asked questions
What engine does the Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X use? +
The Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X is powered by the Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan.
What is the Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X used for? +
The Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X is a other typically used for isr, signals intelligence.
How much does the Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X cost? +
Sierra Nevada Corporation RAPCON-X: SNC awarded a $554 million US Army contract to modernize its A-ISR jet fleet with RAPCON-X, plus a separate $170 million contract to deliver two RAPCON-X jets to the Finnish Border Guard's MVX program. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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