Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is getting ready for the series production of an upgraded version of the super-midsize G280 business jet it builds under license for Gulfstream Aerospace. Following type certification in Israel and the U.S., plans call for first deliveries to be made in 2026.
According to Shmuel Kuzi, executive vice president and general manager of IAI’s aviation group, the company has already produced a prototype of the upgraded G280 and is now adapting its production lines. "We have designed the upgraded version and we will certify it as we did with previous models of Gulfstream business jets that we have made," he told AIN. "We plan to manufacture 30 aircraft a year."
Since the 3,600-nm, Mach 0.85 twinjet entered service in 2012, IAI has delivered around 300 units. An upgraded version of the G280, for which Gulfstream has not yet confirmed the specifications and projected performance, would compete with models that include the Embraer Praetor 600, Cessna Citation Longitude, and Bombardier Challenger 3500.
Kuzi refrained from detailing all the changes that are to be introduced with the upgraded G280, but according to previous reports based on Gulfstream data, it is known that the U.S company has managed to reduce the cabin altitude from 6,000 feet to 4,800 at FL410. This change is intended to reduce travel fatigue and improve comfort for passengers. The upgraded model is also expected to feature a new avionics suite.
From mid-2024, new-production G280s will feature the enhanced cabin altitude and LED cabin and exterior lighting. These upgrades will also be available for retrofit, Kuzi said.
According to IAI, the improved visibility provided by the G280's external LED lighting adds to aircraft safety both in flight and during ground operations. Additionally, this improvement offers better reliability and fewer maintenance requirements.
Since the start of the military conflict in Gaza, IAI has faced constraints on manufacturing operations for the G280. However, addressing this issue late last month at Cowen's 45th Annual Aerospace & Defense Conference, Phebe Novakovic, chair and CEO of Gulfstream parent company General Dynamics, praised IAI’s management team for working around factors such as employees being called up for military service due to the Gaza conflict.
"We face challenges but we are dealing with them thanks to our vast experience," Kuzi told AIN, adding that IAI intends to source all the required hardware and systems for the upgraded G280. He said that the company has devised a “special fast delivery system” to ensure that Gulfstream service centers around the world will be able to get spare parts.
"The newest manufacturing technologies are used on IAI's assembly lines to fulfill the highest production requirements and ensure on-time delivery," he said.
IAI designed and manufactured the earlier G150 and G200 models after Gulfstream acquired the group’s business jet division in 2001. The jointly developed G280 was originally called the G250 and had its first flight in Tel Aviv on Dec. 11, 2009.