Australia is set to receive its much-anticipated electronic warfare (EW) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft from L3Harris within this year. As confirmed by L3Harris ISR President Jason Lambert, the first of four MC-55A “Peregrine” aircraft is now scheduled for delivery in 2025, after the achievement of a crucial certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration in late 2024. This timeline marks a delay of approximately two years from the original delivery date slated for 2023, as outlined in a 2019 foreign military sales agreement.
Air Vice-Marshal Nicholas Hogan, the Head of Air Force Capability, stated that the aircraft is expected to arrive within the next 12 months. In anticipation of the Peregrine’s arrival, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has already constructed the necessary facilities and provided training for its crew. This preparation will enable the Air Force to conduct operational tests and evaluations as soon as the aircraft is on hand.
A report from Canberra’s National Audit Office covering the fiscal year 2023 to 2024 pointed to several factors behind the program’s delays. These included extensive engineering efforts, integration tasks, and critical flight test activities that remain incomplete. Lambert specified that challenges related to “flight parameters and characteristics” as well as modifications to the flight computer, particularly concerning the adjustments to the aircraft’s outer moldline shape, contributed significantly to the delay.
Interestingly, Australia has positioned itself as the first export customer for the MC-55A, with another unnamed country reportedly in line to acquire a similar platform, Lambert noted.
The MC-55A Peregrine will enhance the RAAF’s capabilities, having been ordered as part of the Air 555 Phase I initiative, which aims to bolster the nation’s airborne electronic warfare and ISR competencies. The integration of the Peregrine into Australia’s “joint warfighting networks” is expected to establish a vital communication link between various military assets, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, E-7A Wedgetail, EA-18G Growler, and navy surface combatants, as well as support ground operations.
The aircraft is projected to be stationed at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia, which is also home to the country’s P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and the MQ-4C Triton drone, further improving Australia’s defense readiness and operational capabilities.
