Strategic Insights from the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Military communications, radar systems, and electronic signals leave traces. With PEGASUS, Germany regains—for the first time in nearly two decades—the capability to detect and analyze electromagnetic signals from a great distance and to derive critical insights for situational assessment.
The system strengthens the Bundeswehr’s strategic intelligence capabilities and lays the foundation for well-informed decisions in an increasingly complex security environment.
PEGASUS at a Glance
Since the Breguet Atlantic SIGINT was decommissioned in 2010, the Bundeswehr has not had an airborne signal intelligence reconnaissance system. PEGASUS, the Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System, now closes this capability gap.
The system was developed to detect military radio communications, radar emissions, and digital data links from long distances and to use this information to generate a comprehensive electronic situational picture. In this way, PEGASUS provides important information for early crisis detection, situational assessment, and the evaluation of potential threats.
The capability for airborne signals intelligence (SIGINT) is becoming increasingly important in an ever more interconnected and digitized security environment. Electronic signals often reveal more about activities and intentions than visible movements of troops or platforms.
PEGASUS makes it possible to detect and analyze such signals in a completely passive manner and to transform them into relevant insights for military decision-makers.
The system helps identify threats early on and monitor developments before they give rise to concrete dangers.
Furthermore, PEGASUS strengthens Germany’s national capacity to act in the field of strategic intelligence. Until recently, Germany was heavily reliant on the capabilities of allied nations for airborne signals intelligence.
With PEGASUS, relevant data will be independently collected, processed, and analyzed in the future. The availability of this information provides additional independence and supports sovereign decision-making in security-related situations.
The overall system encompasses far more than just the aircraft themselves. As the prime contractor, HENSOLDT is responsible for integrating the mission system, developing ground stations, and establishing training and analysis capabilities. In collaboration with Lufthansa Technik Defense and Bombardier Defense, three systems based on the Global 6000 business jet will initially be developed.
The first delivery to the German Armed Forces is scheduled for 2027.
From Development to Operational Readiness
PEGASUS is one of Europe’s most ambitious development programs. Since the procurement decision in 2021, the program has achieved key milestones, including the successful maiden flight in 2024 and the start of system integration in Germany at Lufthansa Technik Defense in Hamburg.
This project marks the first time a strategic SIGINT system of this complexity has been developed on the basis of a civilian platform and certified in accordance with the strict requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
At the same time, the international environment during the development period posed major challenges for the entire aerospace industry. Bottlenecks in global supply chains and shifts in procurement markets affected and delayed numerous programs worldwide. In addition, the delayed provision of the military GPS system from the U.S. contributed significantly to the overall delay. Despite these difficult conditions, the PEGASUS companies made significant progress in integration, testing, and certification.
Against this backdrop, the system’s introduction is now taking place about one and a half years later than planned. At the same time, a phased capability build-up allows for initial operational experience to be gained even during the introduction phase and enables the capability to be further developed in close alignment with user needs.
With the planned handover beginning in 2027, PEGASUS is moving closer to its goal of providing the Bundeswehr with a national strategic airborne SIGINT capability.
The Technology Behind PEGASUS
The Entire System: More Than Just an Airplane
PEGASUS is not a single product, but rather an integrated network of systems. In addition to the three specially equipped aircraft, the system includes the onboard mission system, state-of-the-art ground stations for planning, executing, and evaluating missions, as well as training and reference systems for preparing personnel.
It is only through the interaction of all these components that the complete reconnaissance chain is enabled—from the acquisition of electromagnetic signals to the provision of actionable intelligence.
Specialists in the cyber and information domain (CIR) play a central role in this process. While the Air Force crew carries out the flight missions, CIR personnel plan and direct the reconnaissance, operate the sensors, and analyze the data collected.
In this way, radio communications, radar signals, and digital emissions are transformed into reliable information for situational assessments, threat analyses, and strategic decision-making. PEGASUS thus combines platform, technology, and expertise into an integrated capability for the Bundeswehr’s signal intelligence operations.
The Basis: A Long-Range Platform for Strategic Reconnaissance
The Bombardier Global 6000 serves as the basis for the PEGASUS.
The choice of this proven business jet platform combines long range, reliability, and sustained operational capability with the requirements of modern military reconnaissance.
With a range of approximately 11,000 kilometers and a speed of 950 km/h, the system can reach even distant operational areas and operate there for extended periods.
The Global 6000’s mission profile is particularly important for reconnaissance missions. Flying at high altitudes, it can monitor vast areas while remaining outside potential threat zones.
The aircraft also offers sufficient space, power supply, and stability for the integration of complex mission systems, antennas, and sensors. It thus provides the ideal conditions for high-performance strategic aerial reconnaissance and forms the backbone of the entire PEGASUS system.
The centerpiece: Kalaetron Integral
At the heart of PEGASUS is the Kalætron Integral reconnaissance system developed by HENSOLDT. The SIGINT system detects communication signals, radar emissions, and other electronic transmissions, classifies them, and assigns them to their sources. This enables the analysis of communication structures, the localization of radar positions, and the assessment of activities across the electromagnetic spectrum.
As a purely passive system, Kalætron does not transmit any signals of its own but derives its intelligence exclusively from existing emissions. The result is detailed situational awareness for early crisis detection, situation assessment, and threat analysis. Its capabilities are based on a combination of modern detection, analysis, and evaluation methods.
Kalaetron can detect military communication and radar systems across a broad frequency spectrum, precisely geolocate signal sources, and evaluate large amounts of data in real time even while in flight. By integrating various data sources, it creates a consistent situational picture.
Advanced analysis algorithms detect changes and anomalies in the electromagnetic environment at an early stage. In this way, PEGASUS enables the assessment of current activities and provides insights into potential developments and threats before they escalate into concrete dangers.
An Achievement by Industry, the German Armed Forces, and the Research Community
PEGASUS is one of the largest and most complex development programs in the German defense industry. In addition to HENSOLDT, Bombardier Defense, and Lufthansa Technik as the main partners, approximately 30 other companies from Germany are involved in the development, integration, and certification of the system. As the prime contractor, HENSOLDT is responsible for the overall program and coordinates the collaboration among numerous partners from the aviation, electronics, and software development sectors.
The operational home of the future PEGASUS fleet will be Tactical Air Force Squadron 51 “Immelmann” in Schleswig-Jagel. There, Air Force crews and specialists from the Cyber and Information Domain (CIR) will work together to generate actionable insights from the collected data for situational awareness and threat analyses.
This close collaboration between industry, the procurement agency, and the end-users has already yielded new insights during the development and testing phases. The insights gained not only form the basis for the introduction of this capability but also facilitate the system’s further development and potential future procurement steps.
Together with our partners, we are now moving from the design and testing phase to full implementation—thereby bringing the next generation of airborne reconnaissance to life.
A milestone for the next generation of education
PEGASUS not only closes a significant capability gap for the Bundeswehr. The program also demonstrates how modern reconnaissance systems are created through the interaction of the platform, sensors, data processing, and mission systems.
As the prime contractor, we at HENSOLDT are responsible for the development and integration of a highly complex overall system that links the aircraft platform, mission system, ground segment, and training facility. The experience gained in this process lays the foundation for future programs.
PEGASUS is thus an important milestone for the Bundeswehr, as well as for the further development of modern reconnaissance and defense systems in Germany and Europe.