Aircraft & UAVs

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit

Also known as
  • Nachshon Shavit
  • Shavit
  • Gulfstream V Nachshon Shavit
  • Gulfstream G-V Nachshon Shavit
  • Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Shavit
  • G500 SEMA
  • Gulfstream G500 SEMA
  • Special Electronic Missions Aircraft
  • SEMA
  • IAF Shavit

The Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit is Israel's Gulfstream V/G500-based special electronic missions aircraft, converted for Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron with IAI/ELTA mission systems for signals intelligence, electronic reconnaissance, and long-range ISR support. Official IAI material describes Shavit as the Nachshon fleet's SIGINT aircraft for monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum, while public image and fleet sources identify it as the earlier Gulfstream V/G500 member alongside the G550 Eitam and Oron aircraft.

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit, Signals-intelligence and electronic-reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Commons Shavit 154

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States airframe / Israeli mission-system conversion
Type
Signals-intelligence and electronic-reconnaissance aircraft
Service note
Israeli service from the mid-2000s; documented in 2006 Lebanon War, Iron Swords, and Operation Rising Lion intelligence-support roles.
Designer
Israel Aerospace Industries / ELTA airborne SIGINT mission-system conversion on a Gulfstream V/G500 airframe
Designed
Ordered in November 2001 for Israel's airborne SIGINT requirement, according to specialist Gulfstream fleet records.
Produced
Green airframes were delivered for Israeli mission-system fit-out in 2005 and 2006; public sources describe Shavit service from 2005.
Number built
Three Shavit SIGINT aircraft are publicly reported in Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron service.

Specifications

Airframe
Gulfstream V/G500 business jet adapted as a special electronic missions aircraft
Mission class
SEMA / SIGINT aircraft for airborne electronic reconnaissance and intelligence collection
Mission systems
IAI/ELTA airborne integrated SIGINT system with public ELINT/COMINT, emitter geolocation, and electronic-order-of-battle functions; public descriptions also identify ground-scanning radar with GMTI and SAR imaging capability
SIGINT functions
IAI/ELTA material for the ELI-3001 class describes searching, intercepting, measuring, locating, analyzing, classifying, and monitoring radar and communications transmissions from a business-jet platform
Operator
Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron (Nachshon), based at Nevatim
Fleet size
Three Shavit aircraft publicly reported in 122 Squadron service
Reported registrations
676, 679, and 684 are identified in specialist Gulfstream fleet records
Service entry
Public sources describe Shavit service from 2005, with the first delivered aircraft active by the 2006 Lebanon War
Related Nachshon roles
Shavit covers SIGINT; Eitam covers airborne early warning and control; Oron combines multi-domain ISR and targeting-support functions
Mission Architecture

Shavit is a sensor and intelligence aircraft, not a strike platform. Public descriptions emphasize electronic intelligence, signal interception, ground-scanning radar functions, and the 122 Squadron mission of collecting, processing, and directing intelligence for Israeli operations. IAI/ELTA's public SIGINT-aircraft material describes the underlying mission class as a business-jet-based ELINT and COMINT platform that searches, intercepts, locates, analyzes, and monitors radar and communications transmissions.

Airframe

Gulfstream V/G500 business jet airframe adapted for Israeli special electronic missions.

Mission focus

Signals intelligence, electronic reconnaissance, ground-moving-target indication, synthetic-aperture radar imaging, and long-range ISR support.

Unit

Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron, the Nachshon squadron based at Nevatim.

Variants

The Nachshon fleet uses Gulfstream business-jet airframes for distinct Israeli intelligence, surveillance, and air-control missions.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Eitam, Airborne early warning and control aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon EitamAirborne early warning and control aircraft

Eitam is the G550 airborne early-warning and control member of the same Nachshon special-mission fleet.

Sources: TWZ Oron Background, IAI Oron Background

Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron, Multi-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon OronMulti-mission ISTAR aircraft

Oron is the newer multi-mission G550 aircraft that combines wide-area surveillance, SIGINT, and targeting-support functions in the Nachshon fleet.

Sources: TWZ Oron Background, IAI Oron Background

Timeline

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit Key Events

  1. Shavit order reported

    Specialist Gulfstream fleet records say the Gulfstream V Nachshon Shavit was officially ordered in November 2001 for Israel's airborne SIGINT role.

    Sources: GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  2. Shavit enters service

    TWZ describes the Shavit SIGINT aircraft as entering Israeli Air Force service in 2005, while Gulfstream fleet records report the first green airframe delivery in June 2005.

    Sources: TWZ Oron Background, GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  3. First wartime use reported

    Specialist Gulfstream fleet records state that the first Shavit aircraft was active with the Israeli Air Force during the July-August 2006 Lebanon War soon after initial operational capability.

    Sources: GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  4. Operation Rising Lion use reported

    IAI and EDR reported that Eitam, Shavit, and Oron aircraft from Nachshon Squadron supported Operation Rising Lion with strategic intelligence collection and advanced command and control.

    Sources: IAI Operation Rising Lion, EDR Operation Rising Lion

  5. Israel Defense Prize announced

    IAI announced that Shavit, Eitam, and Oron received the Israel Defense Prize for their special-mission-aircraft contribution, including high-availability wartime operations during Iron Swords.

    Sources: IAI Defense Prize

Fleet And Designation Notes

Open sources use several overlapping names for the aircraft. GulfBiz records the Shavit as a Gulfstream V SIGINT aircraft, while public image and fleet references also use G500 or G-V wording for the same Nachshon Shavit mission aircraft. TWZ groups the Nachshon fleet as Gulfstream 500/550-based aircraft and distinguishes the three Shavit SIGINT aircraft from the Eitam airborne early-warning aircraft and the newer Oron multi-mission aircraft.

Reported Shavit airframes

676, 679, and 684 are the three public Shavit registrations listed in specialist Gulfstream fleet records.

Family distinction

Shavit covers the Nachshon SIGINT role; Eitam provides airborne early warning and control; Oron combines several intelligence, surveillance, and targeting-support functions.

Naming limit

Some public reporting loosely uses G550 language for the Nachshon fleet, but Shavit-specific sources identify the SIGINT aircraft as the earlier Gulfstream V/G500 member.

Media

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit Videos

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit Images

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit, Signals-intelligence and electronic-reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Commons Hatzerim Nachshon 01
Related Weapon Systems
Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron, Multi-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon OronMulti-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraftThe Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron is an Israeli special-mission aircraft that adapts a U.S.-built Gulfstream G550 business jet with IAI/ELTA radar, electro-optical, SIGINT, C4I, and AI-assisted processing systems. Operated by Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron, it gives Israel a business-jet-based wide-area surveillance and target-generation platform documented in wartime support roles over Gaza and during Israel's 2025 operations against Iran.
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IAI Heron TP, Strategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI Heron TPStrategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAVThe IAI Heron TP is the large strategic member of Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron UAV family, known in Israeli Air Force service as Eitan. It is built for long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, and multi-payload missions, with official specifications listing a 5,670 kg maximum takeoff weight, more than 30 hours endurance, beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM operation, and payload capacity far above the smaller Heron 1. Conflict sourcing ties the type to Israeli Operation Cast Lead ISR, Iron Swords surveillance sorties, and Operation Rising Lion missions over Iran, while official German program sources document a customized German Heron TP configuration for Bundeswehr ISR service.
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Sources

IAI Defense PrizePublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports Shavit, Eitam, and Oron as IAI-developed special-mission aircraft; C4ISR mission context; and direct 2023 Israel-Hamas War use during Iron Swords with high availability and extensive operational hours. | Accessed: 2026-07-06IAI Oron BackgroundPublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports Nachshon family relationships: Shavit as SIGINT, Eitam as real-time aerial situational awareness and airborne air-control capability, and Oron as the newer multi-mission aircraft combining earlier capabilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-06IAI Operation Rising LionPublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict direct use: IAI stated that Nachshon Squadron's Eitam, Shavit, and Oron intelligence aircraft were used during Operation Rising Lion to collect strategic intelligence and provide advanced command and control. | Accessed: 2026-07-06IAI ELI-3001 SIGINT AircraftPublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports IAI/ELTA airborne SIGINT aircraft mission-system context, including business-jet installation, ELINT and COMINT sensors, signal scanning, direction finding, fast geolocation, and real-time intelligence reporting. | Accessed: 2026-07-06IAI Unit 9900 Airborne AssetsPublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports Shavit as IAI ELTA's SIGINT aircraft for monitoring the electromagnetic spectrum and places it with Eitam and Oron in the Nachshon airborne command, control, and intelligence family. | Accessed: 2026-07-06TWZ Gaza Shavit FlightPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War direct use: TWZ reported Getty imagery of an Israeli Air Force Nachshon Shavit surveillance aircraft operating over the Israel-Gaza border on October 26, 2023, and described its SIGINT role against Hamas communications and threat emissions. | Accessed: 2026-07-06EDR Operation Rising LionPublisher: EDR Magazine | Note: Supports 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict direct use: Nachshon Squadron's Eitam, Shavit, and Oron intelligence aircraft were used during Operation Rising Lion to collect strategic intelligence and provide advanced command and control. | Accessed: 2026-07-06GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream FleetPublisher: GulfBiz | Note: Supports Shavit identity as a Gulfstream V SIGINT aircraft, reported November 2001 order, three green airframe deliveries in 2005-2006, aircraft registrations, IAI fit-out, Nevatim/122 Squadron context, mission description, and direct 2006 Lebanon War use. | Accessed: 2026-07-06TWZ Oron BackgroundPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports Nachshon fleet context, Shavit as the SIGINT member of 122 Squadron, service from 2005, three Shavit aircraft, Gulfstream 500/550 airframe wording, and public description of Shavit ground-scanning radar with GMTI/SAR capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Airforce Technology Nachshon SquadronPublisher: Airforce Technology | Note: Supports 122 Squadron operating the Eitam AEW aircraft and Shavit ELINT aircraft, both modified from Gulfstream business jets, and squadron launch/service context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons Shavit 154Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a CC BY-SA 3.0 photograph of an Israeli Air Force Gulfstream G500 Nachshon-Shavit aircraft at an IAF cadet graduation ceremony. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons Hatzerim Nachshon 01Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a CC BY-SA 4.0 photograph identified as an Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron Nachshon Shavit Gulfstream V SEMA aircraft at Hatzerim on June 28, 2016. | Accessed: 2026-07-06